


Two Ways To Play

by datajana



Series: A Part To Play [4]
Category: Kings of Con (Web Series), Supernatural, Supernatural RPF
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Alcohol, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alcohol Withdrawal, Alternate Universe, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angelic Grace Play (Supernatural), Angry Sex, Angst, Biting, Blow Jobs, Butt Plugs, Cock Rings, Cockwarming, Come as Lube, Comeplay, Depression, Dirty Talk, Drinking, Drunkenness, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fictional World, First Kiss, First Time, Flashbacks, Fluff, Gambling, Hangover, Las Vegas, Light Bondage, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Masturbation, Medium Burn, Morning Sex, Nightmares, Nipple Licking, Oral Sex, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Panic Attacks, Portals, Praise Kink, Rimming, Road Trips, Rough Sex, Seeding, Sex, Singing, Smut, Spanking, Suicide Attempt, Vibrators, Violence, Wall Sex, Wing Kink, Wing Oil, alcohol detox, grace lube, memories of attempted supernatural suicide, nsfw images
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-01-12 01:27:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 61,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18436190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/datajana/pseuds/datajana
Summary: Gabe wants someone to love, and someone to love him.Richard needs someone to save him from himself.But how do they find that in each other when there's a force that wants to destroy Richard's world, and reality as they know it?





	1. I Stand Alone

**Author's Note:**

> This fic took on a life of its own. It was meant to be just one long-shot, but the characters and the muses had other plans.
> 
> **Mentions of alcohol use and abuse is prevalent in this fic. If this bothers you, please be aware if you choose to read it.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic took on a life of its own. It was meant to be just one long-shot, but the characters and the muses had other plans.
> 
> **Mentions of alcohol use and alcohol abuse is prevalent in this fic. If this bothers you, please be aware if you choose to read it.**

 

 

_“What’s your name?” Richard asked._

_“Gabriel,” Gabe said. “But most people just call me Gabe.”_

_Richard blinked. “So you’re from_ that  _world!” he said, smiling roguishly. He turned his head and looked at him from the corner of his eye. “Can you do any angel things?”_

_“A little, but nothing too fancy. They nerfed me in that department,” Gabe said, narrowing his eyes in annoyance._

_“Well, let’s see what you can do then!” Richard said, smiling widely as he hurriedly made his way around the bar to stand next to him._

_Gabe looked at him. “What?”_

_“Let’s go raise some hell!”_

 

* * *

  

Gabe paced back and forth in the lobby, waiting on Richard to return from his room. He had said that he needed to “freshen up and look more presentable.” What for, he had no idea. The longer he waited, the more anxious he felt about what exactly was going to happen.

Would this really work out? What if Richard thought he was desperate, and just chose him because he thought they were only good enough for people like themselves?

He shook his head. No, he had to trust Rich. His friend would never have suggested that he come here if he didn’t think that they would have a chance at happiness. This was all in his head. He needed to have more confidence. He had to try, or he’d never forgive himself.

The sound of the elevator doors opening pulled him from his thoughts.

Richard stepped out of the elevator, his hair now combed and wearing a suit jacket over his shirt. “Sorry I took so long. Took me a second to find this,” he said as he raised his room’s key card. It was pink, like everything else, and had the number forty-two emblazoned on it in gold numerals. “Silly me forgot where I had it tucked away!” He placed his card inside his wallet then put it inside the right-front pocket of his jeans. “There we go! Let’s head out!”

Richard then led Gabe through the Flamingo’s lobby and out its main entrance. He came to a sudden halt at the sight of the portal that Gabe had arrived from, and the angel nearly walked into him.

“Whoa, careful! Nearly knocked you over! You alright?” he asked, nearly falling backwards.

Richard coughed. “Uh, yeah, yeah. Just never thought I’d see one of those again.” He turned halfway around and gave him a sheepish grin. “This night is turning into a real doozy.”

Gabe smiled and went to stand next to him. “Well, it’s not exactly something that happens everyday, that’s for sure.”

“I say let’s keep that theme going then.”

“What do you mean?” Gabe asked, turning his head to look at the human questioningly.

Richard’s eyes were bright with excitement. “Experiencing things that we don’t expect to happen! Look at us! Meeting like this because of our performer? Not to mention the fact that it all began because of some bizarre set of circumstances! I say we just keep the party rolling!”

“But how?”

“We’re in Vegas baby!” Richard swept his hand up and down the Strip. “There’s ALWAYS something going on here!”

They both turned their heads up the street as the sounds of people shouting in excitement reached their ears. Gabe blinked, not understanding why there would be people out and about when the hotel they had just stepped out of seemed abandoned.

“There are people here still? I thought most everyone had left this place,” he said.

“Oh, a vast majority of the world’s people are gone, but some remain scattered about. There’s lots of us in the larger cities. Vegas has a fair-sized population, due to all the entertainment and… ‘particulars',” he said, emphasizing the last word by using finger quotes.

“What do you mean by-” Gabe began, but was cut off by more noise from up the street.

“Come on! Sounds like they’re having a blast! We should get in on it while the gettin’s good!” Richard exclaimed. He wrapped his hand around the angel’s elbow and pulled him along from behind as he took off up the sidewalk towards the clamor.

Gabe didn’t have any choice but to follow the enthusiastic human. He smiled widely despite his overall confusion, and quickly increased his pace when Richard started to sprint towards a casino.

“Are we going to gamble?” he asked once they slowed down to walk inside. He looked about the area, noticing the numerous slot machines, waitresses with drinks, patrons enjoying a night out pressing their luck, the various card tables.

A set of security guards appeared in front of them. “Back again I see,” the larger of the two said, frowning down at Richard. He glanced dismissively at Gabe. “Any problems, and you’re out. We heard about what happened at Circus Circus last week. Just because you happen to be who you are doesn’t mean you get away with whatever you want all the time.”

Richard rolled his tongue in his mouth and shrugged. “They overreacted. Everyone who was there knows it.”

“Everyone who was there saw you throw a chair into a window when you lost a round of roulette.”

“It was rigged!”

“Regardless, we’re keeping an eye on you. One step out of bounds, you and your friend here will be tossed out on your asses,” he said, pointing at Richard and Gabe in turn. “Got it?” He and the other guard turned and left.

“Friendly, aren’t they?” Richard said, smirking slightly.

“Did you really do what they said you did?” Gabe said, wondering if he should try and persuade Richard to do something else.

“Eh, it was blown out of proportion. Anway,” he took the angel aside, slinging an arm over his shoulders, “as you know, money is irrelevant in our worlds, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t like to pretend that's it's a big deal in this place. It's part of what gives Vegas its charm. I’m sure it’s the same in your world.” When Gabe nodded, Richard continued. “I say, let’s use those halo powers of yours and reap the benefits!”

“Normally I’d agree, but we’re being watched,” Gabe said. “And I’m not able to do anything too complicated, what with my grace being weakened and all.”

“How about messing with the dealer’s cards at the poker table?” Richard suggested.

 

* * *

  

Ten minutes later, they were both seated around one of the casino’s many poker tables along with five other players. Richard was being brash and loud while flirting with one of the waitresses, and was nearly finished with his second beer. Gabe watched him, and wondered about how much Richard had actually drank that night.

Then the dealer shuffled his deck of cards and the shenanigans began.

And Richard was thrilled.

The chips by his and Gabe’s side piled up higher and higher, and more and more players kept coming and going. Eventually, there was quite a crowd of people watching. The dealer quickly became suspicious, and Gabe, being sober, noticed when he contacted the casino’s security.

He leaned over to Richard and whispered, “We need to go.”

Richard, who continued downing his current beer and enjoying all the attention from the people gathered, drunkenly nudged him away. “It’s fwine, it’s fwine. No pwoof.”

However, rough hands soon landed on their shoulders, and they were dragged from the table and shoved to the floor.

“What the fwuck was that fer?!” Richard demanded, flopping himself to his elbows to glare at the security guard.

“We told you that you wouldn’t get a pass if you caused trouble. You’re no longer welcome here. Now get the hell out.” The guard glanced at Gabe, who was in the process of standing. “Both of you.”

“That’s a shitload! Just ‘cause we were winners-”

“Richard, let’s just go. I think you’re done,” Gabe said, extending his hand out to the man.

Richard huffed, not taking his eyes from the guard. “I don’t need this. Screw yooooouuuu.” He took the angel’s hand and allowed himself to be hauled shakily to his feet. “Screw ‘em, wight?”

Gabe blinked, concerned at how slurred the man’s words were becoming. “Yeah, screw ‘em.”

He helped Richard stagger out of the casino, the security guards on their heels, and once they had exited and walked most of the way back to the Flamingo, Richard started to howl with laughter.

“Ohm'God… hee hee…” He leaned over and braced his hands on his thighs. He continued to laugh, gasping and wheezing for air.

Gabe watched him for a short moment, then shrugged. “Yeah, it’s funny. We should go though.”

Richard pushed himself up and laid a hand on the angel’s shoulder. “Most… fun… I’ve… had…” He looked over Gabe’s shoulder. and his expression turned sad as he whispered slowly, "It's good to laugh again. Maybe it’s time I...” His voice trailed off as he slumped over against Gabe, who barely caught him.

“Richard!” Gabe cried out in alarm. He hoisted him up with one arm, looking into his face. “Richard! Wake up!” He patted his cheek, but the man was dead to the world.

“What is it with people passing out on me?” he said.

 

* * *

  

He took Richard back to the hotel, and after forcing himself to stick his hand into the human's pocket to remove his wallet and get his key card, he entered Richard’s room and placed him on the bed. He debated removing his clothing, but settled on just taking off his jacket and shoes instead.

He hesitated about leaving as well. Should he stay? Would Richard feel like he invaded his privacy if he were to wake up in the morning and find him there?

He thought back to the number of drinks that he had consumed, then remembered how alcohol affected humans. He found it odd how this world’s inhabitants WANTED the side-effects of such things, especially considering how the forces were currently being impacted by outside circumstances.

Then again, his world had its own eccentricities as well.

He looked down at Richard. He had his mouth open, breathing deeply in and out, one arm slung over his head, the other laid across his chest. He would feel like hell when he awoke; maybe Gabe could help him in the morning. He could heal him now, but he wasn’t sure if it was a good idea. Just healing Rich from the ribs he broke when he fell in the hotel bathroom left him feeling a bit weak.

Decision made, the angel went to stand by the window. He didn’t like Richard’s apparent destructive streak, and wondered if it had an underlying cause. He also wondered about how his friends were doing.

He spent the rest of the night watching the lights of the city, contemplating the same thoughts over and over.

Meeting Richard Slate had been interesting so far to say the least.

 

* * *

  

It was nearing half-past noon when Richard painfully roused to consciousness. His eyes felt gritty, and his lips might as well have been glued together. The inside of his mouth was as dry as a desert. And his head…

UGH his head…

He didn’t want to move. He knew if he did he would puke.

He moaned at the unfairness of it all.

Why did he do this to himself?

“Richard?”

The sound of his name being said out loud startled him, and he snapped his eyes open.

Which was a BIG mistake.

He leapt from the bed and darted for the bathroom. Thank GOD the door was open! He slammed to his knees and that was it.

Game over.

 

* * *

  

From outside the bathroom Gabe looked at the various paintings placed on the walls about the room, trying to ignore the sounds of retching. He had only meant to see if Richard was alright, not startle him.

The sound of the toilet flushing had him quietly making his way inside, and he grimaced as he saw the human leaning his head against the side of the tub, panting. He kneeled next to him and gently placed his hand on his back and said, “I’m sorry for scaring you.”

Richard opened his eyes warily and jerked away. “What are you doing here?” His eyes widened. “We didn’t... sleep together did we?” He swallowed and made a face. “Ugh, that’s disgusting.”

It was Gabe’s turn to swallow. “What? NO! I just wanted to see if I could help,” Gabe said, his face turning red as he waved his hands about in front of himself.

“Oh. Well OK then, but I don’t want or need your help,” Richard said, attempting to push himself up to a kneeling position. “I don’t need anyone’s help. Go away.” He nearly succeeded in righting himself, but moaned and fell against the side of the tub once more, closing his eyes in misery.

Gabe hesitantly reached out his hand, then set his jaw and placed it gently against his back.

Richard gasped as he felt a tingling warmth emanate from the angel’s palm. It flowed across his skin, then centered upon where he was feeling pain and nausea. Just as he was trying to comprehend what was happening, the discomfort from his hangover was gone.

He blinked open his eyes and turned his head to stare at Gabe, who looked at him kindly. The human’s eyes looked back and forth over his face, then hardened. “If you think that this means that I’ll just up and decide that we’re besties forever, you’re highly mistaken.”

“What’s wrong, Richard?” Gabe asked. He couldn’t understand the complete change in Richard’s demeanor from the night before. Had he done something to offend him?

“Just mind your own business,” Richard said, shrugging his hand off his back. “Go away. I have things to do, and you’re bothering me.”

 

* * *

  

Gabe walked slowly down the hallway from Richard’s room in bewilderment. It had been nothing but a bit of drunken fun for Richard, and he had dragged Gabe along for the ride. He was SO naive!

This was a bad idea from the start. He couldn’t do this. Maybe he should go back to the Boss, tell her that he wasn’t ready, that he needed time to work on himself some more-

He stopped walking when Gabriel’s voice echoed in his mind:

 _MG, I can’t make any promises that things will go easy and smoothly for you. But, when you find what you’re looking for, it makes all that you went through worth it._ So _worth it._

Is this what his friend had meant? Was this part of how a relationship was supposed to go?

He knew Rich wouldn’t have suggested that he come here if he had wanted him to suffer and be in pain, or Richard for that matter. He cared for the characters he portrayed. The Guardians also cared for those they looked after.

He looked back at Richard’s hotel room and squared his shoulders. He would keep trying, and give this everything he had. All things deserved a second chance.

He of all people knew that.

 

* * *

  

Richard made his way out of the elevator, still irritated at the presumptuous behavior of that angel. Who did he think he was? Did he think he owed him or something? Phhsshh!

He turned and headed for the brunch buffet for his usual hangover breakfast, even though he didn’t have one anymore. His irritation increased. That angel had messed up his routine! Well screw it! He’d have the same breakfast anyway! He’d show him!

He went through the buffet line, ignoring the odd stares everyone gave him. He usually demanded that they all leave the place so he could eat alone, but since his head wasn’t pounding, he decided that noise was permissible.

He turned and went to his usual seat, then went to grab a glass of orange juice. As he made his way back to his food, he looked up and saw the last person he wanted, or expected, to see.

Gabe was sitting at a table in the corner of the room by the window, drinking chocolate milk through a straw from a large glass. He seemed to be acting like he had not a care in the world, and it did nothing but annoy Richard.

He set his glass on his tray, picked it up, and stomped over to the angel. He stood by the table and stared down at him until Gabe raised his eyes to look at him, the straw still in his mouth.

“Can I help you?” he asked after letting the long plastic tube slip from his lips into his cup.

"Figured you'd've hightailed it back to your heaven,” Richard said, taking the seat opposite him.

Gabe felt a stab of hurt at the word ‘heaven’, but let it go. He leaned back in his chair and replied, “Yeah, well, they’re not exactly missing me at the moment, so I figured I’d stay here and see the sights.”

Richard raised his eyebrows, then looked at the cannolis, beignets, and crème brûlée that were arranged on the angel’s plate. “And die from a diabetic coma?”

Gabe looked at his food. “What’s wrong with what I’m eating?”

“What’s NOT wrong with what you’re eating?”

Gabe motioned towards Richard’s tray. “Says the person who’s eating scrambled eggs and orange juice.”

Richard smugly removed a flask from inside his jacket pocket. “Yeah, not quite.” He opened the flask and poured a splash of what smelled like vodka into his glass.

“A little early for that, don’t ya think?” Gabe asked, picking up one of his beignets and biting into it. He chewed as Richard put his flask away and stirred his orange juice with his fork.

“Have it this way every day,” Richard said, removing his fork and taking a sip. “Ahh, that’s how you start a meal.”

Gabe swallowed his pastry. “I see.”

“You have a problem with it?” Richard snapped, setting his glass down with a thunk. Gabe was surprised that none of its contents spilled over onto the table.

He held his hands up and shook his head. “Hey, it’s your food. Do what you want.”

“Damn straight it is,” Richard glowered back. He dug his fork into his eggs and proceeded to eat, and Gabe followed suit with a cannoli and another beignet.

“Something wrong with that?” Richard asked when he noticed that Gabe’s crème brûlée had yet to be touched.

“Hmm?” Gabe asked, his mouth full of the last bites of a cannoli. He reached for a napkin to wipe his mouth and fingers clean.

Richard tapped the top of the dessert with his fork. “That.”

Gabe’s eyes widened to the size of saucers “What the- HANDS OFF!” He pushed Richard’s hand away and glared at him.

Richard chortled. “What? Afraid of getting my human germs? No such thing here, remember?”

“That may be true, but from what my Guardian heard from your Guardian, your world likes things a bit too real here and there. I'm still learning what they all are.” He looked pointedly at Richard’s drink.

Richard seemed to ignore the direction of the angel’s gaze. “I can tell you for a fact that getting sick isn't a problem. And even if it were, you're an angel right? You getting a cold or something would be impossible.” He darted out with his utensil and crunched the thin layer of sugar that coated the dessert and swiped himself a forkful of the custard before putting it into his mouth

Gabe stared at him in disbelief. “I was saving that for last!”

“So? There’s still more over on the bar. Go get another one.” Richard went to continue his meal, then jumped when his fork hit the table. He frowned. “What?” He looked around, noticing that his plate, tray, even his glass, had disappeared.

He raised his head and fixed his eyes on the angel across from him. “Where?” he said, his voice flat and devoid of emotion.

“Hmm?” Gabe replied, turning his head and looking out the window.

Richard stood and leaned over the table. “Where. Is. My. Food?”

Gabe turned his head and pointed his finger at him. “That food you mean?”

Richard lowered his gaze and thinned his lips. His tray of food had reappeared, complete with his glass of orange juice, arranged artfully in the middle of his scrambled eggs.

He sat back down, lifting his drink and taking two large swallows of the orange liquid before setting it to the side of his tray. “Fucker,” he mumbled.

Gabe picked up one of his remaining cannolis and set it between his teeth as he leaned back in his chair. “Don’t mess with my crème brûlée. They’re serious business,” he said around the pastry.

Richard snorted, finding himself amused at the angel’s antics. They finished their meals in relative silence, and when Gabe went to pick up his tray to leave, he stopped him.

“Well, since it’s obvious that you’re going to be around for a while…”

Gabe blinked at him curiously. “Yes?”

Richard gathered his dishes onto his tray and stood, and Gabe joined him as he started to walk from the table. “There’s a live band that plays daily at the Excalibur. They’re pretty good.”

The two turned in their trays and headed towards the establishment’s exit. Gabe thought over the human’s words carefully.

“So you’re saying that you want me to go with you?”

“I’m saying that I don’t feel like going alone today, and you’re here, so why not? You were fun to hang around with last night. Let’s do the same today, yeah?” Richard said, stuffing his hands into his jeans pockets and tilting his head at the hotel lobby doors.

Gabe shrugged. “Sure, why not. I haven’t made any plans as of yet.” He then frowned. “But after what happened last night… are you going to be able to…?” His memories of their “welcome” from the night before were still very fresh in his mind.

Richard smiled and walked across the lobby to the doors. “Not to worry, my feathered friend.” He didn’t notice Gabe’s face fall at the moniker. “I happen to know the lead singer.”

 

* * *

 

They made their way down the street to the Excalibur, Gabe hoping that there wouldn’t be another repeat of what happened the previous night. The day was sunny and warm, and he noticed that he could actually feel the temperature, which reminded him of what the Boss had told him of this world’s current dilemma. He knew that she had asked him if he had been sure about coming here for more than one reason, and he had seen that reason first-hand, and now he was literally feeling it.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the castle-like casino. They entered its lobby, and Gabe was rather surprised when everyone inside waved and gave friendly hellos to Richard.

“See?” Richard said, glancing at him. “Told ya it’d be no problem.” He headed down a few corridors, and Gabe followed silently behind him.

They entered a lounge, complete with tables and a bar. There was a stage towards the front where a handful of musicians were warming up. Richard made his way towards the bartender, who smiled and shook his hand.

“You’re early for once! Must’ve taken it easy on the booze last night,” he said, giving the human a shot of Wild Turkey. He looked at Gabe, raising an eyebrow, but the angel shook his head.

Richard threw back the drink then handed the glass back. “Yeah, you can say I sobered pretty fast this morning,” he said, looking at Gabe out of the corner of his eye. The angel rolled his eyes and stayed silent.

“Hey Richard! Get over here so we can go over the list!” a man shouted from the stage. Richard turned towards him and gave him a thumbs-up.

Gabe watched the exchange then said, “ _You’re_ the lead singer?”

“Yeah. And?” Richard said, frowning at him. He crossed his arms. “Helps me think.”

“And nothing. Just didn’t realize that you had that much in common with Rich is all,” Gabe said.

Richard smirked. “Yeah, it’s one of the better things he threw into my personality.” He waved a hand out towards the tables. “Pick a seat. We only do a few songs, but I like to watch some of the other bands after too.”

He turned and made his way to the stage, and Gabe walked to a center table. He watched Richard talk with the band, and there were harsh whispers exchanged. He then noticed that the room started to fill up with other people, and hoped that the musicians and Richard would work out whatever was going on before the show was scheduled to begin. It wasn’t long after that that the lights dimmed and the band began their set.

Richard’s voice filled the room as he began with Kid Rock’s “Only God Knows Why.”

 _I've been sittin' here trying to find myself_  
_I get behind myself I need to rewind myself_  
_Looking for the payback listening for the playback_  
_They say that every man bleeds just like me…_

As he continued singing, Gabe noticed that Richard got lost in the words. He was singing like he was actually  _in_ the song. It was almost sad in a way.

Everyone clapped politely. It wasn’t exactly a song that one expected to be entertained with at a lounge in Vegas.

It was followed by Lyle Lovett’s “Promises”, which Richard wailed.

 _I offer no reason_  
_I ask for no pity_  
_I make no excuse_  
_For the way that I am…_

What was he doing? The people in the audience were giving each other baffled looks. Gabe looked at the bartender, who looked just as confused. He looked at the band members, who did not look happy at all.

The argument: it had been about the song choices.

 _If God is my witness_  
_Then God is my savior_  
_But if you are my judge_  
_Then I'm already damned…_

Richard was swaying with the beat, his voice gravely and gritty with the somber tune. He was pouring his heart out with the song. If he were an actual human, and Gabe an actual angel, he was sure that his soul would’ve been in pain and Gabe would’ve been able to see it.

The song ended, and once again awkward, polite applause followed.

The last song’s chords began, and Gabe watched in wonder as Richard kept his eyes to the ceiling during the entire rendition of Gary Jules’ version of “Mad World”, and Gabe almost couldn’t stand it.

 _And their tears are filling up their glasses_  
_No expression, no expression_  
_Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow_  
_No tomorrow, no tomorrow…_

He was relieved when it was all over. The audience applauded a bit more enthusiastically than needed, perhaps also relieved that he was finished. The band had looks of veiled disgust on their faces as they left, and Richard just made a curt bow and jumped off the stage.

He walked through the tables and plopped down next to him. “So, what’d you think? Fun, right?” he said, tapping a finger on the table.

Gabe just stared at him. “What _was_ that, Richard?”

Richard turned his eyes on him. “Uh… singing?” he said, looking at Gabe with raised eyebrows.

“I figured that you’d sing more… well… upbeat songs? Those were all…”

“What’s wrong with the ones I chose? They were the ones I was in the mood to sing today!” Richard snapped. He sat straight up in his chair. “You think you can do better?”

Gabe sighed and shook his head. “That’s not… No, I don’t think I can do better.”

Richard smiled. “Then what did you think then?”

Gabe blinked. “Um… you sounded fantastic,” he answered honestly. “But maybe next time you could try something you can clap along to?” he dared to ask.

Richard pursed his lips. “Depending how I feel… maybe.” He crossed his legs. “And thanks, but I really just do it because I get bored.”

They watched the next few sets, Richard ignoring Gabe the entire time and nursing a few beers. Gabe pondered over the human’s words, his actions, the way he had sang. There was something deeper going on here, deeper than what was affecting this world from the outside. He wished that he could just come out and ask Richard directly, but he knew that it wasn’t his place.

 

* * *

  

It was near time for dinner when they left, and Gabe insisted on going back to the Flamingo. He was tired of being around so many people, and there was a restaurant at the hotel anyway. They sat in the far corner, and as usual most people gave Richard a wide berth.

Gabe ordered a dessert plate and Richard tapas. They ate for a few moments, then Richard took a swallow of his glass of wine and asked, “So, is that really all you eat? Things loaded with sugar?”

Surprised at the chance of having a normal conversation, the angel answered right away. “Well, since I was technically indirectly written by another character-yeah, I know it’s weird, but just go with me on this-in the one episode I was in based on a book written by another character to-” He stopped talking when Richard gave him a bizarre look. “OK, long story short: I was written to like sugar, though I have gotten the opportunity to try ‘regular’ food more than once. I’ve even cooked as well.” He smiled. “It wasn’t that bad, but since I’m hardwired to like sweets best, well...” He shrugged.

“Do you _have_ to eat?”

“Not really, but it’s less boring than sitting at a table and watching others do it in front of me.”

Richard couldn’t help but nod in agreement. He took a sip of wine and swirled the liquid in its glass. “So, uh, do angels sleep?”

Gabe swallowed the bite of eclair he had just taken. "Not at all, though I have because of certain circumstances."

"Circumstances? What kind of circumstances?"

Gabe briefly explained about the few times he had stayed at the Summit, though he omitted a few personal details about his first time there when he had first agreed to help the Boss. He didn’t like thinking about that, much less talk about it.

Richard downed the rest of his wine and snorted. “Wow, your Guardian is a bit different from ours here. He never really interacts with us in that way."

Gabe looked both concerned and curious. “Really? How's that?"

"Ya know, it's been a long day. Gonna finish this, get a nightcap, and head on up,” Richard said, lowering his eyes to his plate and looking over his food.

"Oh, OK. Umm, well, if that's what you want to do,” Gabe said, looking down at his own plate.

Richard snapped his head up and narrowed his eyes. "What's THAT supposed to mean?" he said, pointing his fork at Gabe.

Gabe jerked his head up and held his hands out in front of him at the sight of Richard brandishing his fork. "Nothing! Just meant-"

"I mean, why am I even bothering wasting my time with you anyway?" Richard said, fighting the urge to throw his fork.

"Richard, calm down-" Gabe said, noticing how the human’s hand was shaking.

"NO! _YOU_ calm down!" Richard half-shouted. Everyone in the restaurant had turned to look at them, and Gabe was almost to the point of grabbing him and hauling him out in to the lobby.

"I _am_ calm,” Gabe said slowly.

But Richard was done. "I don't need this crap. Try to be nice, then I get this.” He dropped the fork and stood abruptly.

Gabe reached out his hand, trying to stop him. "Richard, I'm sorry if I upset you..."

"It's fine. I'm just... I just need to be alone for a while. You know how it is,” Richard sighed, refusing to look at him. He turned and walked slowly out the restaurant, leaving Gabe sitting at the table in complete confusion.

 

* * *

   

Richard slowly made his way back to his room, keeping his eyes on the floor the entire time. He had almost missed the elevator doors opening, and had to stick his foot out to stop them from closing on him.

Once he was inside his room, he kicked his shoes off and went to the bathroom. After he washed his hands, he stared at his face in the mirror, taking in his pale, harrowed expression. He then shook his head; he didn’t need this right now.

He went to the mini bar fridge next to the tv, opened it, and grabbed the first tiny bottle of liquor he saw. He downed it quickly and crawled into bed, just wanting the pitying look that was on Gabe’s face and the troubled one that he had seen on his own to go away.

As the fuzziness of sleep gradually came over him, Gabe’s eyes flashed across the back of his eyelids. He turned over in his bed, frowning. Why would someone who had known him for a mere twenty-four hours look at him in such a way? And why was it bothering him?

He mused on these thoughts until he fell asleep, not able to find the answers.

 

* * *

 

While Richard struggled for answers to questions he didn’t understand, Gabe walked up and down the Strip and wondered what the human’s deal was. If it weren’t for the fact that he had no real health to be concerned about, he’d be worried about it. However, he _did_ have a mental one; all beings in the fictional universes had one in some form.

He looked up at the sky, at the clouds that had gathered to block the stars and reflect the numerous multi-colored lights of the city. He wondered about this world’s Guardian, and if they cared at all about their charges. He knew that the Guardian was worried about this world’s stability, but surely they could also see what Richard was going through and that he needed help. Wasn’t that part of the whole reason for a Guardian?

He turned and started to make his way back to the Flamingo. The portal was still there the last time he had gone by, so he knew that the Guardian was at least still honoring his agreement with the Boss.

He stopped walking. Did they both know something that he didn’t? That would be just like them.

He felt a dull throb in his temple and rubbed it with his fingers. Was he actually getting a headache? Was he already getting affected physically by the unbalanced forces in this place?

He opened his eyes and looked around at the people walking and talking along the sidewalk. Most seemed normal, but he wondered how many were also hiding inside hotel rooms or in the many houses of the city, suffering like Richard.

But then the Guardian would _definitely_ notice it then, wouldn’t he?

What was wrong with Richard? What was he missing? Were the unbalanced forces just exacerbating the problem?

He shook his head. Ugh! So many questions! Why so many questions and no answers?

He crossed the street and stood before the entrance to the hotel, looking up at its many windows. If anything, he had to help him. The Boss, his friends, had taught him that was the right thing to do for anyone who needed it.

And even if nothing but friendship came from this when he left, he would know that he had done the right thing, and that's what would count the most.

Right?


	2. My Own Worst Enemy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings once again:
> 
> This chapter has alcohol use and alcohol abuse as well. Please remember this as you read.
> 
> The chapters for this part of the series are short, and I apologize. Putting them out in bits and pieces to give myself a bit of a buffer as I write further ahead.

 

 

Richard awoke the next day and hurriedly made his way to the bathroom. As he moaned and leaned his head against the side of the toilet several long minutes later, grimacing at the foul taste in his mouth, he found himself wishing that Gabe was there so that he could use the “angel magic” on him again.

He huffed out a laugh and snorted. Yeah, sure. He was probably long gone after what had happened the night before, and he wouldn’t have blamed him. He was good at running people off after all.

He slowly washed himself up and got dressed, and a good hour later he stumbled into the buffet. The people inside took one look at his face and left as quietly as they could, no one wanting to be a victim of his temper.

He filled a tray with his normal hangover meal of scrambled eggs and orange juice, then noticed that not everyone had cleared the restaurant. He took a deep breath and made his way over, setting the tray carefully on the table before sitting gingerly in the chair.

Gabe had watched him walk towards his table, absently pouring sugar into the bowl of cereal in front of him. Richard looked terrible. He had dark circles under his eyes, his hair was half-brushed, and the buttons on his shirt were pushed through the wrong holes. Had he even slept at all?

“You look nice this morning,” he said, trying to start conversation. He picked up his spoon, and it clattered against his other utensils.

Richard winced and growled. “Lower the voice and what you're doing. My head is about to explode."

Gabe nodded and did his best to chew his food as quietly as possible while they both ate. Richard did so slowly, taking small bites of his food and sips of his drink.

“No flask today?" Gabe asked when Richard had finished over a fourth of his juice.

Richard glared at him with bloodshot eyes. “Bite me.”

“Guess not,” Gabe said, shrugging his shoulders and taking another spoonful of his cereal.

"What's your problem?” Richard snapped. “You here just to make me more miserable than I already am? Well guess what?” He laughed dryly. “You're late to the party. And besides, I thought angels were supposed to be HELPFUL. All you seem to do is be annoying. That seems pretty useless to me.”

Gabe set his spoon down and looked away from him. "I'm not here to do anything to you."

"Then why are you here?"

Gabe pondered on his answer for a short moment, and remembered his thoughts from the previous evening. "Is it so wrong that I want to be your friend?"

"HA! Us? _FRIENDS?_ " Richard said loudly, then groaned and put his hand to his forehead.

"Why not? We all need them,” Gabe said, giving him a kind smile.

Richard ran his hand down his face and opened his mouth to reply, then shifted his gaze over to the clock on the far wall.

"I need to go lie down for a while. Let this,” he circled his finger over his half-eaten plate of food, “work through my system,” he said.

Gabe frowned. “Don’t you have to go meet your band later?”

Richard snorted. “ _Them?_ Heh. Screw ‘em. I’m done with their pathetic, crybaby asses.” He stood up and looked down at his tray. “Would you?”

Gabe nodded. “Yeah. Sure. No problem.” He watched him walk from the room, wondering what Richard was going to say.

What could he do? There had to be something-

 

* * *

 

"You can't fix everything."

Gabe jumped. He was standing in an entirely different place. The room was chiselled out of granite, and had columns that were carved with intricate depictions of Hindu gods and goddesses. He looked up and saw that the ceiling was covered in frescos of the avatars of Shiva.

He tensed as he heard footsteps behind him and turned quickly. When he saw that it was B, this world’s Guardian, he relaxed. “What am I doing here? Where am I?” he asked.

"You, my friend, are in this world's Veerabhadra Temple. Pretty nifty, huh? And as to why," he walked to a limestone desk and hopped up on to it, "well, I've been watching you and Richard. I know that you feel like you can fix him, but not everyone like him can just be helped and made all better. He's gotta WANT to be helped. He needs to agree to have help from others. You can’t make him do it."

"That's what I figured."

"My sister told me why you're here. And I overheard your thoughts last night."

"You did WHAT?" Gabe said, taking a step back. “Since when did you guys start reading our thoughts?”

"Hey, no need to take offense. You _did_ speak out to me, remember? And I’m not offended by what you thought of me either, by the way. The point is, I think that you might be going about this all wrong, and as a Guardian it's my job to let you know that you can maybe do more to help than you realize.

“You're right about one thing: Richard needs a friend, someone in his corner. He needs to learn to open up, and he's _almost_ there with you. Keep going the way you are, but don't do it just so he can be better, and you can _feel_ better, with just the two of you ending up as BFFs. Do you not remember what Gabriel told you?"

"Of course I do! And I'm not going to try to do anything to make MYSELF feel better!"

"Then what are you trying to REALLY do?"

"What kind of question is that?!"

"What is it that you _really_ want?"

"I don't want to be alone forever!"

"Do you think Richard wants to be alone forever?"

"What?” Gabe said. He held both arms out to his sides and shook his head in agitation. “Of course not! Who wants that?"

"Then why would you plan to become friends with him, to help him work through what he's dealing with, then just up and leave?"

"I..." Gabe shut his mouth, then opened it again. He looked at B with wide, surprised eyes.

"Seems to me that you have a slight problem of your own."

"Shit."

"Indeed."

"How do I do this, B? I'm so naive." He looked up at the ceiling and its painted murals, then ran his hands over his face. “I just want to help him at the very least.”

"You should know better than to ask me exactly what to do. I can only point you in the right direction.” He jumped off his desk and walked around it to sit in his chair. “Which I seem to have succeeded with."

"So now what?" Gabe sighed, dropping his hands to his sides and looking at the Guardian like he was a kicked puppy.

"Keep on doing what you're doing.” He stood, placing his hands on his desk and leaning forward. “And DO NOT tell him that you spoke to me. I've his, and your, best interests at heart."

"You're lucky that I've experience with cryptic answers and know to just smile and nod,” Gabe said, crossing his arms and raising his eyebrows.

"Comes in handy, doesn’t it?"

 

* * *

  

Between one blink and the next, Gabe was back in his seat at the restaurant, and he looked over his shoulder at the clock.

Four hours. He had been gone for four hours.

He leaned back in his chair and went over every word of his conversation with the Guardian. Richard would need his support so he could help himself, and he would help him through all of it.

But, Gabe wondered anxiously, what if Richard doesn’t ever see it that way?

He didn't see Gabe as anyone he could trust. No matter what he did, he just threw it in his face.

He looked out the window and saw a group of people gathering across the street. They were talking animatedly about something, smiling and laughing excitedly. They had flyers in their hands, and were pointing at and reading from them to each other.

An idea started to from in his head, and he stood.

The Guardian had said ‘support.’ Could he earn his trust that way? It would be difficult, and most likely as frustrating as ever, but he had told himself that he would try. He had so many people who believed in him, and it was time that he started to believe in himself.

 

* * *

  

Richard walked out into the hallway from his room. He was feeling marginally better from resting for a handful of hours. He took the elevator down, and without realizing it, looked about for Gabe almost immediately. When he couldn’t find him, he stood still for a moment, feeling curious about why he was even looking in the first place.

He rolled his tongue in his mouth as he contemplated, then his eyes landed on the Bird’s Cage and his feet moved him towards it. He had felt those “thoughts” pushing at the edges of his consciousness, and he wanted to keep them at bay, and he knew just what would do the trick.

He walked inside the bar, grabbed a beer from the tender, then made his way outside the hotel to sit on one of the benches in front of the casino. He popped open his beer using the arm of the bench, then took a long swig, wanting the effects of the alcohol to start working as quickly as possible.

He then sat and brooded over the conversation he had had with the angel over breakfast. Friends, huh? No such thing, not anymore. Not after what had happened when he and the guys had gone apart on their journeys. Not when he had tried-

He looked up when he heard peals of laughter from across the street. Gabe and a small group of people were standing in a small circle, the people putting their hands over their mouths as they chuckled and snorted at something the angel had said.

Richard sighed and rolled his eyes. How could people be so happy when life sucked? He just didn’t get it.

He sighed once more when he saw that Gabe had turned and noticed him watching. The angel waved, and Richard raised his beer in acknowledgement. Gabe then waved goodbye to the group and jogged over.

He stopped in front of Richard and said, “Did you enjoy your nap?”

Richard swallowed the last of his beer and put the empty bottle on the ground next to the bench. “It was sleep. Nothing exciting.”

Gabe sat down next to him. “You look better.” He crossed his legs and leaned back, lifting his elbows to rest them against the back of the bench.

“Thanks. Didn't realize that I looked bad. Thanks for helping with my self-esteem,” Richard snarked. He crossed his arms and looked away from Gabe and scowled.

Gabe turned his head and looked at him, frowning. "Not what I meant. You’re out and about is all. Say,” he said, quickly changing the subject as he motioned towards the group he had just been with, “I heard from those guys over there that a festival is being held this evening on the Old Strip. Thinking about checking it out. Wanna go?"

“I’m not much for being around other people,” Richard said, looking at the direction Gabe indicated from the corner of his eye. He shifted in his seat uncomfortably. “And I don’t make good company anyway.”

Gabe uncrossed his legs and looked down. “Oh. Just thought you and me could shoot the breeze is all."

Richard turned sharply towards him. "Why are you so insistent on trying to be buddy-buddy with me? Am I wearing a sign that says ‘Wanted: Friends’? Can’t you see that sometimes a person just wants to be left alone?”

“But Richard,” Gabe said, turning towards him. “You can’t be alone forever.”

“I’ve been alone long enough to be used to it. Don’t waste your time on me.”

Gabe curled his lips inward, pressing them together before he sighed through his nose. "I don't see it as wasting my time. Besides, you're the only one in this place who actually knows who I am."

Richard looked at Gabe’s face. The angel’s eyes held an almost pleading look in them, and the human fought with himself to just get up and go back inside the hotel and call it a day. But something about his words got through to him.

"And you're the only one who actually talks to me without biting my head off, and you don’t accuse me of being an asshole. I guess that counts for something,” he sighed.

The corners of Gabe’s mouth turned up slightly in a hopeful smile. “So that means…?”

Richard quickly held his hands up in front of him, raising his eyebrows at the same time. "Don't get too excited. I'll go, but don't be surprised if I bail if it's something stupid."

Gabe smiled widely and stood, placing his hands on hips. "Fair enough. It starts around seven or so, and I think we can catch a bus at the corner. Someone takes everyone who wants to go back and forth."

“See ya then,” Richard said, and closed his eyes as he rested his head onto the back of the bench.

 

* * *

 

Gabe paced at the corner in front of the bus, waiting on Richard to arrive. He had talked the driver into waiting just a few minutes more, and he could see that he and the several people on the bus were quite impatient with him.

He was just about to tell them to go on ahead and leave when he heard hurried footsteps behind him. He whirled around and smiled when Richard jogged into view.

“Where the hell have you been? We should’ve left ten minutes ago! Get on!”

They quickly climbed onto the bus, its passengers giving them dirty looks as they took the seat behind the driver. The bus started to move, and Richard leaned his head against the window.

“What took you so long?” Gabe asked.

“I had changed my mind,” Richard said, shrugging.

“You changed your mind,” Gabe said flatly.

Richard looked over at him. “Yeah, but I’m here now, so it’s fine.” He rolled his shoulders and settled in the seat. “Got here as fast as I could and made it.”

“We need to figure out a way to communicate better,” Gabe said, mostly to himself.

“What? Like exchange numbers? What are we, in junior high?” Richard scoffed.

“No,” Gabe said. “I just think… Nevermind.” He moved his head and stared straight ahead to look out the front of the bus.

Richard looked at him for a long moment, then went to watching the lights of the city pass by through the window.

 

* * *

  

The festival was just that: a festival. There were vendors selling crafts, food, trinkets. There were also games, performers, musicians. And of course, wines and spirits of all kinds.

To which Richard gravitated towards immediately.

Gabe watched him like a hawk, and did his best to get him involved in other aspects of the occasion. They played several games, won a few prizes that Richard handed off to random passersby (“I don’t feel like dragging shit around!”), and managed to eat a few things that Gabe hoped would help counterbalance at least some of the effects of the alcohol that Richard was consuming.

However, those hopes were dashed when Richard bumped into a group of men who were crowded around a stall where people were playing darts.

Almost immediately Richard started mouthing off, and the men returned in kind. Gabe tried to intervene, but without warning a punch was thrown, and Richard was thrown to the ground. Gabe quickly pulled him away, and Richard kicked and screamed the entire time.

“You fucking bird! Let me go! I can take care of myself!” Richard hollered. He twisted in Gabe’s grasp, doing his best to loosen the angel’s grip on his arms. “I said let go of me dammit!”

Gabe ignored him, eyeing the sky, feeling a sinking feeling in his stomach. The forces were becoming more warped with each passing day.

He dragged Richard to the side of a building and released him, and the human scrambled to his feet. He stared into Gabe’s face, so angry that his cheeks were red and his pupils were dilated.

“Don’t you EVER do that again!” he shouted. He got within inches of Gabe’s face and opened his mouth once more to yell, then winced and grabbed his head, moaning in pain.

Gabe reached out and gripped his shoulders. “Richard? Richard! What’s wrong?” His eyes widened in alarm when Richard pushed him away so he could turn and retch on the ground. As he fell to his knees, Gabe remembered that Richard had taken a blow to the side of his head.

“Let me see,” Gabe said when Richard leaned back on his hands.

“No, don’t… Hurts,” Richard groaned when Gabe knelt and gently touched the side of his head. The angel ran his fingers along his scalp, then the side of his face, pushing a miniscule amount of grace through his fingers as he searched. He frowned as he discovered that Richard’s cheekbone was slightly cracked.

“Stay still, Richard. It’ll be OK,” he said. He closed his eyes and lay his entire palm against the side of Richard’s face. Richard hissed, then sighed as the pain receded. Gabe started to feel lightheaded, but ignored it until he was certain that Richard was completely healed.

He lowered his hand and Richard blinked at him. He touched his face and nodded. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Gabe smiled. “It’s not supposed to.” He stood, his knees shaking slightly, but was able to hold his balance. “Ready to go? I think we should call it a night, don’t you?”

Richard looked down at himself, then over at the puddle of vomit. He then scooted away and climbed to his feet. “Not really, but I’m guessing you’re gonna make me, aren’t you?”

Gabe just stared at him, and Richard threw his hands up in the air. “Fine! Ruin my fun! Let’s go!” He turned around and headed in the direction of the bus, and Gabe slowly trudged after him.

 

* * *

  

In the hall on the way to Richard’s room, the human stomped angrily in front of the angel. He hadn't said a word the entire bus ride, and had made a point of staying several steps in front of him while they had walked from the corner to the hotel.

He took out his keycard and jabbed it into the slot, then looked at Gabe. He frowned when he noticed that he was still halfway down the hall from him, leaning heavily against the wall.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

Gabe stopped and took a deep breath. “Nothing. I’m just making sure that you made it to your room safely.”

Richard turned and looked straight at him. “Well, I’m here. See you tomorrow.”

Gabe blinked in surprise and smiled softly. “Uh, yeah, OK. See ya.”

Richard opened his door and walked in, closing it behind him with a loud thud.

Gabe rolled to his back and let out a loud sigh. He couldn’t go on anymore. He slid down the wall, huffing in exhaustion. His grace was too low. He needed to rest, and right here in the hallway was as good a place as any.

And Richard… He said that he’d see him tomorrow…

He fell asleep.

 

* * *

  

“Hey!”

Gabe moaned and turned away from the voice, pressing himself closer to the wall in front of him. A hand gripped his shoulder and shook him.

“Hey! Wake up!”

Gabe jerked around, opening his eyes and blinking. “Wh-What?” He sat up, looking around. Where was he? He turned his head, his eyes taking in the walls of the hallway, the carpet, then the person kneeling next to him.

Richard had his hand on his shoulder still, peering at him uncertainly. “Did you sleep out here all night?” he asked. “I thought you guys didn’t need to do that usually.”

Gabe dragged a hand through his hair and shifted away from him. “Oh, I wasn’t.” He leaned back and started to pick himself up, Richard quickly wrapping an arm around his shoulders to assist him. The angel used the short amount of time to think of an excuse, and when he was standing on his own, he added, “I was just in a sort of trance. A meditation sort of thing.”

Richard looked at the carpet, then back up at him. “I see. If you say so then.”

“Heh, yeah. Just a weird ‘angel thing’ that the writers threw in that we have to do sometimes, even when we’re not actually on the clock.”

There was an awkward moment of silence, and the two kept their eyes from each other’s faces.

“So… How about we head down and have our usual breakfast at the buffet? This day of the week there’s fresh donuts,” Richard finally said. He chanced a look at Gabe, who quirked a smile.

“Sure! Sounds great!” the angel said. He pulled his jacket up on his shoulders, and Richard took note of the wrinkles that had formed from Gabe’s lying on the ground during the night. He frowned, but said nothing.

Downstairs, Richard swallowed the last of his orange juice and watched Gabe enjoy a bite of a powdered donut. He kept thinking of how he had walked out of his room, still moody about the events from the previous night. He had planned on ignoring the angel for the entire day despite his last words to him.

However, when he had seen his body slumped on the ground, the first thoughts that had gone through his mind were of him placing his hands on him, helping him, healing him. And the word “friends” had echoed in his mind.

He had been afraid.

And Gabe, he had…

“You lied.”

Gabe paused mid-chew, a dusting of white sugar spread across his bottom lip. He raised an eyebrow in question as he swallowed. “What?” he asked before using a napkin to wipe his hands and mouth.

“About why you were sleeping in the hallway. You li-”

“I wasn't sleeping. I told you that I was-”

Richard slammed his fists on the table. “You WERE sleeping! Stop it! I HATE liars!”

Gabe’s expression went blank as he looked out the window. The sky was overcast and gray, and he would’ve laughed at the irony of the weather matching the current situation’s mood if it weren’t for Richard sitting across from him.

“It’s fine,” he sighed, turning back to him. “I have to do that sometimes. It’s nothing for you to worry about.”

“And why’s that? You mentioned having to sleep at your Guardian’s place because of warding, but there’s no warding here.”

“I’m _fine_ , Richard,” Gabe said firmly.

Richard shook his head. “Bullshit. You were out cold, and last night you could hardly walk.” He ran over the events in his memory quickly. “In fact, it all started happening after you fixed me. It was because of that, wasn’t it?” The look on his face dared Gabriel to lie to him once more.

Gabe ran a hand over his face before leaning his elbows on the table. “I told you when I got here that my grace isn’t like other angels’. It’s not infinite. I need to be careful when I use it.”

He looked up at the ceiling. “I noticed when I first used it on you that it felt a bit different afterwards. I knew immediately that it was because of how things are different here in your world. I had planned on not using my grace unless I absolutely had to, because I had no idea what would happen if I went too far.”

Richard curled one of his hands into a fist. “You did that last night didn’t you?”

Gabe huffed. “No idea, but I felt like shit if that’s what you’re asking, like I strained myself to the point of exhaustion.” He jumped when Richard threw his arm out violently and shoved everything off the table onto the tiled floor with a loud crash.

“Richard!” Gabe cried out in alarm. He stared at the shattered dishes and half-eaten food on the ground. “Why did you-”

“Dammit! I did this! It’s always me fucking shit up!” Richard cried. His teeth were clenched as he heaved in breaths. “It’s my fault!”

Gabe slowly stood and reached out a hand in an effort to console him. “No Richard! It wasn’t your fault! You have NOTHING to do with my grace or what's happening to the world-"

"Yeah but I'm the reason you had to heal me. Should've just let me suffer." He looked straight into Gabe’s face, and the look the angel gave him made him squeeze his blood-shot eyes shut. “I’m not worth that.” He covered his face, and a trickle of blood slid down his forearm from where he’d been nicked by the edge of a knife.

The human’s words and the sight of the blood made Gabe hurry around the table. “Richard…” he said, gently placing his hand on his arm.

“Don’t,” Richard said, jerking away from him. He looked at Gabe then down at the table. “Just… don’t.”

Gabe stepped back, his shoes crunching on the ruined dishes. “OK... OK. I’ll be right here.”

“I-I need to go. I’m still not feeling well. I…” Richard’s words trailed off and he dropped his arms, his hands bumping against the sides of his thighs. He looked at Gabe and almost stared directly through him. “I need to go somewhere quiet.”

Gabe saw the trickle of blood smear against the side of Richard’s shirt. “OK, if that’s what you think you should do. But, you’re hurt. I can-”

Richard’s face hardened. “"NO! I don't want you to EVER use your grace to heal me again. I won't...” He swallowed and looked away as he stepped past the angel towards the restaurant’s exit. “I won't have you hurt because of me."

Gabe stood and watched him go, not knowing what to do. He looked up at the ceiling again, flinging his arms out to his side.

“Is this worth it? _REALLY?_ I’m trying! I-”

He looked down at the remains of their meal and kicked it furiously, hurtling it across the room. “I’M FUCKING TRYING!” he screamed. He crumpled to the floor and held his head in his hands.

“I’m trying,” he whispered.

 

* * *

  

He had to stop it. He had to try again. Maybe he’d be able to make it this time…

Richard didn’t bother closing the door to his room as he stumbled inside, falling to his knees and crawling to his mini bar. He fumbled with the door and finally opened it, then sat down so he could grab several bottles at once with both his hands. One after the other he drank, a pile of empty containers growing beside him.

Soon his vision became spotty. He started to laugh. Good, not much longer.

He started to wheeze, then coughed and groaned when a large wave of nausea rolled over him. He shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut. One more, just one more, and he could try again.

He deserved this.

No one could help him, and no one cared.

Shaky fingers wrapped around the neck of a bottle, and he lifted it to his mouth.

“This time, maybe this time…” he whispered.


	3. Wake Me Up Inside

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNINGS:
> 
> Mentions of suicide in this chapter, along with alcohol detoxing.

[ ](http://www.freeimagehosting.net/commercial-photography/)

 

 

 

 

 

Gabe sat on the floor with his head against his knees. He rocked back and forth silently, hugging his legs to his chest. He had been whispering to himself and to the Guardian, not even sure-or caring-if he was listening for a long time. He also debated on whether or not he should go back to the Summit or go after Richard.

_Go._

He raised his head and looked about the room. He was alone, and had been alone, since Richard had left the restaurant.

_Go._

He turned around on his knees, darting his eyes back and forth.

“Who’s there?” he called out.

He was met with silence.

He gathered his legs under him and stood, looking slowly about the room. He was _sure_ he’d heard something.

_GO!_

He jumped, then looked up at the restaurant’s ceiling. “Is that YOU?” He scoffed. “What do you mean ‘go?’ Go where?”

The phones in the lobby started to ring, and he jerked his head in their direction. He furrowed his brow in confusion, then dashed out of the room towards the front desk. He quickly located a phone and froze when he noticed that all the letters and numerals stamped on the phone’s keypad had changed to the number forty-two.

“Richard…” Gabe whispered.

He whirled and raced toward the elevators.

 

* * *

  

_There it was, the Edge: a vortex of black-purple darkness, full of feelings of hopelessness, despair, death. Sounds of lamentation issued from within its core, and if one looked hard enough, a glimpse of Purging could be discerned._

_Richard shuddered at the thought. He always did._

_He staggered towards it, holding out a hand. Fractures of darkness issued from the Edge like skeletal fingers, claws grasping for him. He stretched out his arm, just wanting it to end, wanting to find peace from his burdens._

_From **being** a burden._

_Just as a talon was about to encircle his wrist, he heard the voice that always stopped him:_

_**Robbie would love this! I need to remember to tell him about it!** _

_The darkness stilled and slowly started to pull back, and Richard whimpered._

_“No! NOOO!”_

 

* * *

 

Gabe skidded to a halt outside of Richard’s room, grabbing on to the doorframe. He stared in horror at the man’s body sprawled facedown in the corner of the room.

“RICHARD!” he shouted, running inside and falling to his knees by him. He turned him over and cursed at the vomit covering his face and neck. His eyes darted briefly to the pile of bottles, and cursed once more. “Dammit, Richard, why?”

He leaned down, checked his pulse, his breathing.

Nothing.

He pulled him into his arms. “Alright, Richard. You can be mad at me later,” he said. He placed his hand on his chest and closed his eyes. “Here we go.”

 

* * *

  

_Richard stretched his hand out towards the darkness. “Come back! I don’t want to stay here anymore!”_

_The boney claws continued to retract, and Richard screamed in frustration. Why? WHY?! Everytime! EVERYTIME!_

_He jerked when he felt warmth spread across his chest. He looked down, puzzled, and patted his hands across it. “What the…?”_

_The feeling flowed across his body, and the landscape around him started to fade. He looked warily around him as he started to panic. This had never happened before! Where was he going?_

 

* * *

 

Gabe pressed his palm more firmly against Richard, pushing more grace into his body. “Breathe, Richard,” he rasped. He was starting to feel tired, and sweat had started to bead on his forehead.

His arms were shaking and his skin was pale when Richard’s eyes snapped open. He heaved in gasps of air, and Gabe opened his eyes and smiled down weakly at him.

“About… time…” he panted, then fell over on top of him.

Richard lay stunned underneath Gabe, not quite knowing what to do for a moment. He gingerly turned sideways in his arms, then lifted the angel so that he held him instead.

“Hey? You OK?” he said, looking into his face. Gabe’s eyes remained closed, but he was breathing. Did angels breathe? Something about that didn’t sit right with him, and he looked by his side, and the pile of empty bottles caught his attention.

Putting two and two together didn’t take but a second, and he glared down at Gabe. “You stupid moron! I told you not to!”

He couldn’t help but shake Gabe’s body in his arms as he shouted, “Hey! Wake up! Hey! Why did you...? I TOLD YOU I'M NOT WORTH IT! WHY?!” He smacked him in the face. “WAKE UP! You better not die on me! _For me!_ I won't be able to handle it if you die because of me!”

He hauled Gabe up and onto the bed. He stood there and just looked at him, trying to decide on what to do.

“Shit!”

He walked to the bathroom and caught a glance of himself in the mirror. He made a face at the sick that ran down his face and neck, and quickly cleaned himself. He then grabbed a washcloth and wet it and went back to Gabe so he could wipe the sweat off his face and lay the cool cloth on his forehead.

He kept vigil on the angel for the rest of the day, replacing the cloth periodically. He ignored his body’s hunger and cravings for another drink; he was solely focused on Gabe. He did take aspirin when his head started to pound, and eventually lay down to sleep as evening drew near.

 

* * *

  

Gabe woke with a start after midnight. He took stock of his surroundings, and the very first thing he noticed was that he was in a bed.

And he wasn’t alone.

He turned his head to the side and saw Richard, fast asleep. _Oh thank God, he’s alive!_ He shifted, then noticed that he had a blanket covering him. Did Richard move him here?

Disturbed by his movements, Richard snapped awake. He and Gabe stared at each other, and they both held their breaths.

“WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!” they suddenly burst out at the same time.

They both sat up, seething.

Richard glowered at the angel. “I TOLD YOU NOT TO USE YOUR ANGEL STUFF!”

“I HAD NO CHOICE! YOU WERE ALMOST GONE!” Gabe shouted back.

“THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! YOU KNOW THAT!”

Gabe lowered his voice and looked straight at him. “That’s not true and you know it!”

But Richard wasn’t finished shouting. “HOW WOULD YOU KNOW?!”

“I JUST DO!” Gabe retorted, raising his voice to match Richard’s once again.

“THAT'S A LIE! I'VE NEVER-” Richard cut himself off, and complete silence filled the room.

Gabe watched as Richard’s shoulders slumped. He seemed to draw within himself, and Gabe knew he had to try.

He needed to try...

“What were you going to say?” he asked quietly.

Richard glared at him from the corner of his eye. “Fuck you. I don’t have to explain _anything_ to you,” he said bitterly.

Gabe’s tawny eyes looked into Richard’s pleadingly, willing him to just talk to him. “Richard, you weren't breathing. What were you trying to do?”

Lowering his eyes to the bed, Richard murmured, “You don't know what's it like, OK?”

“What’s what like?”

Richard whipped his face towards him, and Gabe sucked in his breath. There was so much _pain_ in his eyes. “Every morning I see THIS,” he pointed at his face, “looking back at me in the mirror. I've grown used to it. And then YOU,” he pointed at Gabe, “just show up out of nowhere, with your little story about how our performer wants us to meet and blah blah blah. And now I have to see you every day, with _my_ face, but you don't look like me. You look like... like what I used to be.” He choked out the last few words then lowered his head and held it in his hands. “What I was supposed to be,” he whispered.

“But Richard…” Gabe sighed. “Rich WANTED me to meet you because he thought-”

Richard snapped his head up sharply. “I don't CARE what he thought! No one has the right to play matchmaker when they don't even really know the other person! He hasn't even bothered with any of us in years! He only does just enough to stop me from-” His eyes widened as he slammed his mouth shut. He shook his head angrily and turned away. “Why do you even care? You wouldn't understand if I told you.”

“Stop you from what?” Gabe looked at Richard’s profile, going over the stress lines around his mouth and eyes, the way his jaw clenched, how his nostrils flared when he breathed.

Breathed...

The image of him lifeless, without breath, flickered across his memory, and Gabe felt a knot form in his midsection.

“Richard,” he whispered. “Did you… Did you do this to go _there?_ ”

Richard stayed quiet.

Gabe leaned towards Richard, who turned back towards him in surprise. “Richard! _PLEASE_ tell me you didn’t do this to yourself on purpose!”

Richard curled his hands into fists at his sides. “Shut up!” he said. He grit his teeth, and tears pricked his eyes.

Gabe could only look at him. He didn’t know what to say.

Richard pounded his fists on the bed. “I SAID ‘SHUT UP’ DAMMIT!”

Gabe leaned back and held his hands loosely in his lap. “I didn’t say anything.”

“YOU'RE THINKING IT! THEY _ALL_ THINK IT! The one who just couldn't stay away and went and screwed it all up, the one whose friends don't care, the one who couldn't be accepted anywhere else because he’s considered to be a wannabe character, so he came back here because he had nowhere else to go. And when he tried-” His voice cracked and his breath hitched.

“You’ve been there before tonight, haven’t you?” Gabe asked as Richard started to shake.

Richard glared at the angel. “Don’t you dare judge me. Don’t you fucking _dare_ judge me.”

“I never would.” His eyes softened. “Show me.”

Richard stilled. “Show you what?”

Gabe placed his hand upon his own chest and tapped it.

Richard closed his eyes and quickly wrapped his arms around himself, curling his body forward. “No, no… I can’t.”

“It's nothing to be-”

Richard tightened his arms around his torso and raised his head, his eyes full of hurt and anger. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH! WHAT I'VE SUFFERED, YOU ANNOYING BASTARD!"

Unbidden, Gabe’s own suffering flooded his mind, and he retorted, "OH YEAH? WELL WELCOME TO THE CLUB! YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS WHAT PAIN IS!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP! DID YOU TRY TO END IT? DID YOU GO AND THINK OF JUMPING?"

Gabe pushed himself forward until he was right in Richard's face. His eyes flashed with grace as he screamed, "I DIDN'T THINK! I DID!" He reached up and ripped his shirt in half, revealing an ugly, jagged scar. It ran down his sternum, and seemed to have been burned into his skin.

Richard fell backwards, and for a long moment the only sound in the room was the harsh breathing of the man and the angel as they looked at each other.

It was broken by Richard. “...you what?” he asked, staring up at Gabe in shock.

Gabe sat back, his ruined shirt falling to his sides. He pulled his jacket together in front of him self-consciously. “I… I did...”

Richard slowly raised himself up and looked at Gabe in confusion. "But how are you-"

"Still here? Someone cared enough to pull me out at the last second. Someone thought I was worth saving." He smiled softly.

Richard had a feeling about who it had been. "Your Guardian. It was your Guardian, wasn't it?"

Gabe nodded. "Yeah. She believed in me, and still does. Made me realize that I was worth more than I thought I was." He looked down at his hands. “She’s my friend.”

"How?" His voice trembled slightly.

Gabe raised his eyes and smiled at him. "She showed me that I had a purpose. That we ALL have a purpose. Richard... YOU have a purpose."

Richard’s breath caught, and he looked back and forth between Gabe’s eyes. His face was so honest, so sincere. He lowered his eyes and saw the top part of the angel's scar peeking above where he had closed his jacket. He swallowed hard as his throat threatened to close up on him. Eyes filling with tears, he hesitantly pulled his shirt collar down and to the side to show Gabe the small dark mark that ran along his right collar bone.

His lower lip quivered as he spoke. “The first time, I fell right where the Edge started, and it's how I got this. After that, whenever I try, I almost get there, and I hear Rich's voice. He says different things every time. How he's not giving up on us, he's working on it, he needs more time, something he wants to tell the real Rob. It always stops me. It makes me so angry. But, deep down, I guess I can't help but trust him.”

Gabe shrugged. "I have to admit, he does that to you."

Richard suddenly flung himself at Gabe, who caught him with an “oof!” "I-I want to try to stop, Gabe. I can’t keep going back there..."

"Richard..." Gabe said, placing his arms gently around his upper shoulders.

"I can't..." Richard said again, grasping the front of the angel’s jacket tightly.

Gabe looked down at the top of Richard’s head, hope flaring inside him. "Do you want help? It'll be hard, Richard, but I'll be here. I... I won't go anywhere."

"Promise? You promise?" Richard said, holding on to Gabe like he would disappear.

"I'm your friend, of course I promise,” Gabe said, allowing himself to give Richard a comforting squeeze with his arms.

Richard pulled back and looked up at Gabe. His face was wet with tears, his face a mask of pain. "My friend? You're my friend? After all I've done?"

Gabe smiled softly. "Richard, I think I've been your friend for a while now."

"I'm sorry,” Richard said, a fresh wave of tears filling his eyes.

"Let's just work on helping you get better, ok?" Gabe said, patting his back reassuringly.

"OK."

 

* * *

 

Richard tried to go back to sleep. He was exhausted in more ways than one. He tossed and turned on the bed, willing himself to fall asleep.

“Richard?”

He pressed his face closer against his pillow. A dull throb had started to radiate at the base of his skull, and Gabe sounded like he was screaming directly into his ear.

“Please be quiet.”

A rustle of clothing. Soft footsteps along the floor. He hissed in pain when a hand touched him softly.

“NO!”

“Richard?! What’s wrong?!” Gabe’s voice grated along Richard’s nerves. His skin felt like it was on fire.

“Please be quiet,” Richard whimpered. He curled within the middle of the bed and started to shiver.

“Let me get you a blanket,” Gabe said very quietly. He lifted a blanket and gently settled it over the human’s trembling form, and was relieved when Richard didn’t shrug it off.

The angel’s worries continued to grow as Richard broke out into a heavy sweat and moaned in pain afterwards, saying his head hurt. Gabe offered to help, but Richard vehemently refused. It was only after Gabe was able to get him to sip enough water to take a couple aspirin that Richard finally drifted off into a fitful sleep.

Gabe watched him for a short while, racking his brain about what to do. He looked helplessly about the dark room. When his eyes landed on the forgotten pile of tiny glass bottles, he glared disdainfully at them then shot his eyes over at the small fridge next to them.

He quickly gathered them into a plastic bag and placed them inside the fridge, then unplugged the appliance from the wall. He hefted it onto his shoulder and exited the room, closing the door silently behind him. He made his way down the hallway towards the stairs and opened the door. He looked over the railing of the landing he was standing on, then shouted in anger as he hurled the appliance to the concrete floor below with a resounding crash.

“No more,” he said in a flat voice at the sight of shattered glass and twisted metal that had scattered about the bottom of the stairwell.

He went back to the room and straight to the bathroom for a cool washcloth so he could wipe the sweat from Richard’s brow. He continued this routine throughout the night, pausing only when Richard would open his eyes and stare at him deliriously as he mumbled about how he wanted “to stay and not go back anymore.”

 

* * *

 

Richard moaned as the morning sun’s rays drifted across his closed eyelids. He pulled the blanket over his face, then almost immediately flipped over and tossed it aside, reaching out desperately for the wastebasket by the bed. He retched and retched, tears pouring down his face from the force of his heaving.

“Richard?” Gabe’s voice said from the bathroom.

Richard kept his face turned down towards the receptacle in his hands. “I’m still alive,” he croaked.

Gabe walked towards him, holding a fresh washcloth. He sat by his side. “Think you want me to help you to the bathroom?”

Richard gripped the wastebasket tightly with his hands. “Uh… Yeah, please.” He sat there, unsure of what exactly to do.

Gabe took pity on him and took the basket from him. “I’ll take care of this in a minute. Come on.” He placed it on the floor, then offered his arm for Richard to hold on to.

It took a few minutes, but Richard soon found himself standing just inside the bathroom, leaning against the doorframe. He looked over his shoulder at the angel behind him, noticing that the angel had replaced his ripped shirt with one of his own during the night, not that it mattered.

“I’ll be right outside, and will come in if you call me. It’s OK; I’ve done this routine before,” Gabe said, giving him an encouraging smile.

Richard nodded slightly, then put his hand out to lean against the wall to support his body as he moved further into the room. He heard Gabe close the door behind him, then went about what he had to do.

Gabe leaned against the wall next to the bathroom door, keeping an ear open for any unusual sounds from within. He sighed and looked up at the smooth, white-painted ceiling. "So this is pointing me in the right direction? If so, it sucks! I don't know what to do! Help me!" he muttered under his breath as he closed his eyes

He jumped when a string of words flashed quickly across the back of his eyelids. He was able to memorize them quickly, though a few phrases stood out to him.

“Stages of alcohol-withdrawal symptoms,” he said out loud. “Detoxing from alcohol.”

He grit his teeth in irritation and cocked his head at the ceiling once more. “I could've used this information EARLIER you jerk!” he said, opening his eyes and glaring.

He heard the faucet over the sink turn off in the bathroom and turned, waiting for Richard to open the door.

Richard breathed heavily as he swung the door open. His face was pale, and Gabe immediately held out his hand. “Alright, back to bed with you. No wandering about the city for a while I’m afraid.”

“If that’s a pickup line, it needs work,” Richard attempted to joke, wrapping his hand tightly around Gabe’s forearm. He tried not to lean all of his weight onto the angel, but he was just so weak!

Gabe cleared his throat at Richard’s words. “I’ll do that,” he said. He helped the human back to bed and made him comfortable, then handed him the glass of water. “Here, drink as much as you’re able. I’ll be right back.” He motioned towards the wastebasket, and Richard made a face.

“I’ll try,” he said, and took a tiny sip, watching Gabe lift the basket and exit the room.

When Gabe returned he was satisfied to see that Richard had drank half the water. “Are you hungry? Think you can handle something light?” he asked. He placed the basket by the bed and ripped a new bag off a replacement roll he had picked up from a janitor’s closet to place inside.

“Um, I don’t know. I’m afraid it won’t stay down,” Richard said, tapping his fingers on his glass.

“I think you’ll be OK, and you need to eat to keep your strength up.”

Richard gripped the glass tightly in his hands. “I don’t want to throw up again.” He looked at Gabe anxiously. “I really don’t.”

“I’ll get you some broth. It’s bland, and shouldn’t bother your stomach too bad. You don’t have to eat it all,” he added quickly when Richard’s eyes widened in worry. “Just a little. You need to, to help you get better, OK?”

Richard looked down into his glass, blinking and contemplating the angel’s words. “OK,” he said softly.

Gabe sighed inwardly in relief. “That’s good, Richard. I’m glad.”

 

* * *

  

Gabe went downstairs and into the kitchen of one of the eateries. He calmly walked up to the first chef he saw and asked politely for a bowl of chicken broth. The woman gave him a strange look and demanded why he was in there.

“My friend is sick. You don’t serve plain broth, but I’m guessing that you have it back here in one form or another,” he said, making himself smile the whole time.

“We do, but you can’t just walk back here.”

He counted to ten in his head. “Please. It’s just one bowl of water that’s had a chicken boiled in it.”

“You said your friend is sick. No one gets sick!” she said, eyeing him suspiciously. “Who are you anyway? I’m going to have you thrown out.” She went towards a phone on the wall on the other side of the room.

“Wait!” She turned, narrowing her eyes. Gabe noticed that they looked strained and vacant.

He ran his hand through his hair. “So _no one_ that you know has been acting off? Behaving any differently from usual? Reacting to things how they’d usually do if they were still connected directly their performers?”

She looked troubled for a moment, turning away from him. She then started to rearrange a line of vegetables on a cutting board behind her. Her voice shook as she spoke. “That’s ludicrous. You need someone to look at your profile.”

He stepped up next to her, leaning over until his face was in her peripheral vision. “I’m sorry if something I said just put you on edge, but I _will_ keep asking for that bowl of broth for my friend.”

She stopped touching the vegetables and turned her head to look at him. “Grab a bowl.”

 

* * *

  

That night was worse for Richard. He kept scratching at his skin, saying that it felt like ants were crawling all over him and biting. Gabe did his best to soothe him, providing him with cool hand towels and ice to try to ease the sensations.

He started to ask bizarre questions. “If you eat, Gabe… where does it all go? Does it become rainbows? Is that how you travel back and forth from Earth to up there?”

It would’ve been comical if it weren’t for the fact that Richard was so ill.

He slept more that night, but not much. He had a fever once again, and when he awoke, he was soaking in sweat and so nauseated he almost threw up all over himself in bed. After helping him to the bathroom, Gabe insisted on waiting inside with him, but kept his back turned; he wasn’t going to risk Richard getting hurt like their performer had back in his world.

When he had settled Richard back into bed on freshly-changed sheets, the human caught his eye. “"I didn't... I mean... I know I was an ass.."

Gabe tilted his head, not understanding what he was trying to say. Richard looked down at his hands and Gabe saw that they were shaking.

Oh.

"It's fine, Richard..."

"No, it's not. You didn't do anything wrong."

Gabe sighed and sat on the bed near his feet. "You didn't either."

"I'm trying to apologize here!" Richard said, looking up at him pleadingly.

"OK, Richard,” Gabe said, sitting up straighter. “OK.”

Richard fisted the blanket in his lap tightly. "It's gonna get worse isn't it?" he whispered, breathing deeply.

"Yeah. But I'll be here,” Gabe answered. He felt Richard start to shake all over, and without thinking about it, he placed a hand on the human’s leg and patted it gently.

Richard quickly pulled his leg away and Gabe set his hand in his lap. "Why are you helping me?" Richard asked, his voice holding a note of uncertainty.

"Why wouldn't I?" Gabe said, looking at him in confusion.

Richard shrugged his shoulders. "You barely know me. What makes me so special?” He pulled his legs up and wrapped his arms around them.

Gabe shrugged his shoulders also. "So? It doesn't mean that I shouldn't help you.” He crossed his legs and leaned back on his hands. “And you _are_ special, Richard. Out of all the characters he’d ever performed, Rich chose you for me to meet. Not only that, but look at how much we’ve come to find out about each other in such a short amount of time.”

Richard huffed. “Yeah, and it all sucks too. Our performer doesn’t know shit.”

“Well, early days, and it’s not too bad since we're friends now, right?"

Richard looked at him from under his half-dry hair. "Yeah. I'd forgotten what it was like, to have friends around, so I guess that’s something to be positive about."

Gabe smirked. “Glad that you’re starting to see things from my perspective”

“Don’t push your luck, Larry.”

 

* * *

  

The next night as Richard drifted off to sleep, Gabe looked at him. It was now or never.

That day had started out rough, but by the afternoon Richard had improved. He hadn’t vomited, and had actually eaten solid food. They had talked and actually had a conversation for once that didn’t involve (too) much yelling. Richard had just complained of a mild headache when he had turned over to go to sleep.

He placed his fingers upon the human’s forehead and gently sent his grace through his body. He squeezed his eyes shut, afraid of how much of his power he would have to use. He sighed in relief when he saw that it wouldn’t be as much as he had feared. The first few days were the worse; that was what he had read. Richard was just about through them all, and it seemed that he was stronger than he looked.

When Gabe pulled away, he felt slightly lightheaded, so he laid down beside the human. He saw that he was breathing easier, and knew that he would probably get an earful in the morning.

But he would gladly accept it.

Since he wasn’t a real human, Richard’s sobriety would be easier than it would be on Earth.

And that made Gabe happy, and he wanted to make Richard happy too.

He smiled and closed his eyes.

 

* * *

  

Just as he had thought, he got a dressing down the next morning.

All the way down the hallway to the elevator.

While standing in the elevator.

Walking in the lobby to the restaurant.

Getting their food from the buffet line.

Between bites of food at the table.

And standing outside of the hotel.

“No more! Do you hear me?” Richard reiterated, pacing up and down in front of the angel. People walked by, staring and whispering behind their hands.

“What did he _do?_ ” a woman asked her friend. “Did he cheat on him? Are they going to break up?”

Gabe felt his face turn red.

Richard stopped midstride, then grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the courtyard and sat them down at a table in a secluded corner.

“Look,” he said, placing his hands palm-side down before him. “I’m not angry…”

Gabe raised a skeptical eyebrow at him.

Richard huffed and rolled his eyes. “ _Fine_ , I’m a bit miffed. But I’ve a right to be!”

Gabe leaned forward. “And I had a right to do what I did! I healed you because you needed to be healed!”

“Not if it meant risking your life! I’ve told you-”

Gabe held up a hand. “No. You’re not going there again. You’re not allowed to say that anymore. You ARE worth it.”

Richard glared. “Not if it means that people get hurt.”

“I wasn’t.”

“You might’ve been.”

“Well I wasn’t, and that’s a fact.”

“God you are stubborn!”

“You just now figuring that out?”

They both huffed and crossed their arms, looking away from each other.

“Why do we always argue over the same shit?” Richard said.

Gabe sighed. “I guess it’s what friends do.”

At the word “friends,” Richard turned his head. “You're still here."

“What?” Gabe faced him.

Richard smiled. “You’re still here. You stayed, the entire time.”

Gabe returned the smile. "I told you I wouldn’t leave."

“So what now, now that I’m all better and la di dah?” Richard asked, tapping his fingers on his elbows nervously. He avoided looking into Gabe’s eyes.

Gabe folded his arms on the table and leaned forward. "Now we need to let you just rest up for a while. We'll go do things out in the city, and I'll keep an eye on you. How does that sound?"

"You'll be my chaperone?" Richard asked, surprised.

"No…” Gabe said, shaking his head. He held out his hand. “I'll be your friend watching out for you."

Richard looked at the angel’s hand, then up at his face. “OK, ‘friend.’” He took his hand and gripped it firmly. “I’m game.”

 

* * *

  

That afternoon they decided to go for a walk and let Richard stretch his legs. They talked about various topics, Gabe about the one episode he participated in in his world, Richard about the ones he did. They shared small chuckles here and there, and pointed out similarities in how Rich would gesture during certain situations in scenes.

They were walking past an alley when Gabe suddenly stopped. Richard continued forward several steps, still talking, then looked over when he noticed the angel staring down the narrow passageway.

“Gabe?” he said, heading back to him. He stood beside him and followed his gaze, trying to figure out what had caused his friend to make a sudden stop.

Inside the alleyway there were several people painting a mural on the wall. It depicted a flock of birds in flight, wings spread as they soared over the desert at night under the moon.

“Gabe?” Richard said again.

“They look free,” the angel said. A look of sadness crossed his face as he focused on one of the artists adding detail to one of the bird’s flight feathers. “So free.”

Richard smiled softly. “Yeah, it must be something, being able to fly, right?”

Gabe cleared his throat and laughed. “Yeah,” he said, ducking his head and stepping around Richard so he could walk briskly up the street.

Richard followed him, calling his name. “Gabe! Wait!” He caught up with with the angel and grasped his arm, and Gabe halted his hurried strides. Gabe breathed in deeply and trembled. "Hey man, you OK?"

Gabe turned and smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "Yeah, fine.”

Richard let go and crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

“No, really, I am!” Gabe said, raising his hands in front of him. “I just think I might need some R&R too is all. Um, any suggestions?”

Richard wanted to argue, but something in Gabe’s eyes made him think that it wasn’t the best idea at the moment. "Well, there _are_ all those rides, but they're all kinda intense. I don’t think that they’re a good idea right now. So, let’s plan on doing that at a later date, maybe?”

Gabe sighed. He was just relieved that Richard hadn’t pressed him to talk. “Sure. We’ll do that.” He looked back up at the street, noticing that the sun had gotten higher in the sky. “Why don't we just walk around some more until lunch?”

 

* * *

  

That night Gabe kept his back to the window as he sat in a chair in Richard’s room. He just couldn’t look at the sky. It hurt him. Reminded him of-

_...liquid darkness filling his lungs and drowning him…_

_...white hot pain shredding his back and searing his chest…_

_...screaming until what felt like blood was pouring from his throat…_

He gasped, finding himself curled into a ball in the chair, arms wrapped around his head. He was shaking, breathing harshly between clenched teeth.

“No, no…” he whispered. He covered his face with his hands and gave a muffled sob.

“Stupid birds.”

 

* * *

  

Gabe sighed once the dark of night had faded from the hotel room. He unfolded himself from the chair and went to stand at the window. The sun shined between the tall buildings, and he put his hand against the glass.

“Keep it together,” he whispered softly to himself. “You’re stronger now. Boss told you that, remember? It’ll be OK.” He leaned his head against the window and looked down at the street below. “Gotta keep focused.”

“Everything OK?”

He turned around and saw Richard with his head propped up on his elbow as he laid in bed. “Yep, I’m right as rain,” the angel replied. He put his hands in his pockets and leaned back against the window. “You’re up early.”

Richard sat up and scrubbed his hands against his face. “Yeah, I slept like a baby for once.” He made a face. “I’m not used to that.”

Gabe smiled. “Seems to me that you’re feeling better.”

Richard looked at him. “Yeah, I guess so.” He cocked his head at him, feeling that something was off about the angel. “You sure you’re OK?”

“I wouldn’t have said so if I weren’t.” Gabe walked over and perched on the corner of the bed. “So, since you’re up, whatta you say about having a REAL breakfast for once?”

“I DO have real breakfasts.”

“Sorry, but our definitions of breakfast are completely different,” Gabe said. He smirked at the human. “And mine is right, and yours is wrong.”

Richard narrowed his eyes. “OK, ‘Mr. Breakfast Connoisseur.’ Take me out for one then!”

Gabe raised his eyebrows. “OK?”

Richard spluttered. “You know what I mean!” He threw his covers aside and went to his dresser, grabbing some clothes. He made his way to the bathroom. “And I’m picking where we’re eating!” he snapped before he entered and closed the door behind him.

Gabe sat on the bed and stared. He hadn’t expected THAT to happen!

He stood and walked to the table that was situated near the chair he had occupied. On top was placed the usual hotel fodder: brochures, numbers, nearby restaurants. He skimmed the information, killing time until Richard exited the shower.

His eyes landed on a magazine that also sat on the table, and the cover planted the seed of an idea in his head. He’d have to plan it out carefully, and though he wasn’t sure if it would work, he hoped that when he found the right time to talk it over with Richard the human would be willing to listen to him.

 

* * *

 

Their days continued this way for the next few weeks, their trust in one another growing more and more each day. Gabe was there to steer Richard away from any activity that involved drinking, and if any place did serve alcohol, he called him out immediately if he tried to order a drink.

The little flashbacks occurred from time to time still. After nearly cracking the arms of the chair with his hands the second time, he had learned if he paced up and down the hallway they didn’t last as long.

Didn’t mean that they didn’t bother him, but at least they only happened at night, when he had nothing to occupy his attention or mind.

Richard had been sober for two months the first time they tried out one of the many thrill rides in the city. It was midday, and they were standing in line for the roller coaster at the NY-NY Hotel. Gabe was completely enthusiastic, bouncing from one foot to the other, impatient for their turn.

“It won’t move any faster, so you might as well be still,” Richard said. He was getting amused by the angel’s antics.

Gabe turned around and grinned, then pointed at the intimidating coaster. “I’ve never been on one before! I’m just excited is all!”

They waited for thirty more minutes before they were secured in their seats, and the nearly three minute ride began. They both screamed the entire time, all through the loops, corkscrews, and the huge drops.

When they exited, Gabe babbled on and on. “That was amazing! We’ll have to do it again!”

Richard laughed. “If only to hear you scream like a girl!”

“ _Me?!_ ” Gabe said, slightly offended, placing his hands on his hips. “You were the one wailing like a banshee the entire time!”

“Ha! Says you! I’m surprised that I’m not described as deaf on my character profile now because of how loud you just were!” Richard teased.

“You’re an asshole,” Gabe said, laughing.

“I’ve been called worse. Let’s go ride one more time, then head back.”

 

* * *

  

They decided to go swimming in the hotel pool before dinner, catching the last of the afternoon sun. Richard had snagged Gabe a pair of garishly colored swim trunks from the hotel’s pool store, and they were currently having a contest to see who could swim the length of the pool the fastest. Richard had made Gabe promise that he wouldn’t use his grace to cheat, and so far they were about even after two laps.

They started their third circuit when Richard cried, “Ow! Cramp! Leg cramp!” and splashed over to the side of the pool. Gabe immediately swam over and looked him over in concern.

“Where? Let me help.” He went to lower his hand towards the human’s leg, then jerked back when Richard splashed him in the face with water. “What the hell?!”

Richard gripped the side of the pool and chortled. “Oh my God! Your face! I've only seen kids do th-GAH!”

Richard went zooming backwards as a small shockwave of water pelted him in the abdomen. He went under briefly, then came up sputtering. “Wow!” he said, flinging his hair out of his face. “That was amazing! We need to go swimming more often!”

Gabe smiled and swam towards him. “Really? In that case…” He snapped his fingers and Richard was whirled in a circle until he was above the water, then dropped with a large splash.

He surfaced, laughing. “My turn!” he cried, then dunked the angel.

From there, it was a free-for-all. Splashing, dunking, being dragged under and shot across the pool underwater, flipped through the air, and other numerous water acrobatics.

They ended up splashing water directly in each other’s faces, laughing madly, when suddenly they were nearly nose-to-nose. They stopped, Richard breathing heavily and Gabe just staring.

The angel watched a drop of water trail from Richard’s wet hair to his cheek then trickle to the corner of his lips. The human absentmindedly licked it, and Gabe’s breath caught.

“Um, I think it’s time for us to start getting ready for dinner,” Gabe said, darting his eyes to the side.

Richard cleared his throat and swam backwards. “Yeah, uh, that’s... you’re right. It has been a while since breakfast, and we skipped lunch and all.”

“Meet you in your room?” Gabe said, still not looking at him.

Richard started to swim towards the nearest ladder. “Yeah. Just need to go get a shower, get changed.”

“Sure thing!”

 

* * *

  

Gabe stood outside Richard’s room after using his grace to dry himself, fighting the urge to bang his head against the wall. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ he kept repeating over and over in his mind. It was too early for something like this.

Wasn’t it?

He shook his head. No! They were friends still! Nothing more! They still had a lot to learn about each other, and he was still helping Richard!

And he himself still had to-

He shook his head again. Nope. Not going there.

He sighed then knocked on the door.

“It’s open!” he heard Richard’s voice say.

He turned the knob and entered, then immediately turned around. “Gah! Sorry! I thought you said-”

“I did! What’s wrong?” Richard stood by his dresser, a towel wrapped low on his waist. He tilted his head in confusion. “Gabe?”

“Y-You’re not dressed, Richard!” Gabe stuttered.

“I’m not…? Gabe! I was wearing less in the pool earlier!”

“Yeah, but you still have to _get_ dressed!”

Richard opened his dresser and took out his clothes, then went to stand by his bathroom door. “I’ll get dressed in the bathroom if it makes you feel better, but you DO realize that we’re both guys. Ya know, same junk and all that.” He gave a little laugh. “Literally.”

Gabe just nodded, still refusing to turn around.

“Alrighty then! Be out in a jif!”

When he heard the bathroom door close, Gabe breathed out a sigh of relief. He couldn’t take much more of this!

 

* * *

  

Richard was in the mood for curry, so forty-five minutes later found them seated at a table with a large plate of naan placed in its middle. The human was happily devouring his bowl of kaeng khiao wan gai, and Gabe was staring at his slowly melting kulfi.

Noticing, Richard put down his spoon and asked, “Gabe? Something the matter? Your food taste bad?”

Gabe sighed and prodded the dessert with his utensil. “No, it’s actually really delicious.”

“Then why aren’t you eating it?”

Gabe took a large spoonful and placed it in his mouth. “I am.” He looked at Richard, but couldn’t make himself meet his eyes. Why was it so awkward now?

“Gabe? Is this about earlier?” Richard asked, trying to catch his eyes. “Did I do or say something to make you uncomfortable?” He reached across the table to touch the angel’s hand.

“No! Not at all!” Gabe said quickly, jerking his hand back. He placed it on the corner of the table and stirred his kulfi with his spoon. “I’m fine, really.”

“Gabe, I’m not an idiot. You’ve been acting this way since you came into my room. Since you saw-” His mouth dropped open slightly as his face filled with realization. “Oh. _Oh_...”

“What?” Gabe asked, this time looking him straight in the face, his eyes filled with anxiety.

“Gabe, I didn’t know. If I had… I wouldn’t’ve…”

Gabe dropped his spoon into his dish and covered his face with both his hands. “Oh hell, this is humiliating.”

"No! It's OK! There's nothing bad about this at all. I just wish I hadn’t made you feel uneasy.”

Gabe shook his head. "It’s not that.”

"Calm down. It's nothing to be ashamed of.” When Gabe didn’t reply, he said, “If you don’t want to tell me, it’s fine. I won’t bring it up again if it bothers you.” He looked down at his plate, then over at Gabe’s. “Let’s finish our meal. Yours is turning into soup.”

Gabe lowered his hands, feeling himself relax. “Thanks Richard,” he said, smiling gratefully.

Richard paused with his spoon halfway to his mouth. "For what?"

"For...understanding. Understanding everything."

“What are friends for?” he winked.

Gabe watched him eat his curry, then looked down at his own food. Making a face, he tapped the side of the dish and it turned back into its original state.

 _Much better_ , he thought.

 

* * *

  

Gabe sighed as he looked out the window. He was feeling calm for once, despite the awkward way he had felt earlier in the evening. If only he could get past this feeling of unworthiness when it came to being around someone intimately! At least the conversation with Richard made him feel like they had increased their level of trust in one another a bit more, even if it had embarrassed the shit out of him.

He frowned when he heard whimpering from the bed behind him. He quickly turned and made his way over, trying to see what was wrong with his friend.

Richard was moaning and groaning in his sleep, tossing his head to the side at times. He would then whimper and shift, then start to moan again.

Gabe didn’t know what to do. Richard was just fine when he went to sleep, joking and laughing about their day with him. He had even mentioned about getting an early start the next morning.

He was just about to try to shake him awake when he heard him groan, “Gabe…” and sigh softly.

Gabe reeled, stumbling back and almost knocking the lamp off the bedside table in his haste to get as far away from the bed as he could. He ended up against the wall near the window, biting his lip.

Was he dreaming about him? Was he dreaming about him like _that?_

He stared at Richard’s form on the bed. He had stopped tossing his head, but was still sighing deeply in his sleep. He was also licking his lips, and Gabe wondered what it would be like to-

NO! He wouldn't go there. He wasn’t even sure if Richard was even doing what he thought he was doing!

He forced himself to go look out the window, to watch the lights, to calm his mind…

He heard Richard roll over in his sleep. Thank God! Now he could just forget that any of this had happened-

He suddenly felt a tightening in his groin. _Fuck_ , he thought. _Why here? Why now?_

He tried to will it away, but of course Richard had to move around on the bed again. Of course Richard had to sigh in his sleep.

Gritting his teeth, Gabe turned around and went as quickly and quietly as he could to the bathroom. He flicked the light on as soon as he closed and locked the door, then leaned over the sink, staring at his reflection.

“No,” he panted. He noticed that the pupils of his eyes were blown, and his pants were starting to feel almost painful against him.

He bit his lip again, then licked it.

An image suddenly danced along the edges of his memory:

_Richard sticking his tongue out, licking a droplet of water from the corner of his lip._

He groaned.

Dammit!

He watched himself in the mirror as he undid his pants and lowered them to the floor. He shrugged off his jacket and shirt, then used his thumbs to pull his underwear down to release his cock.

He panted. It was so hard. He needed… he needed…

He leaned onto the sink with one hand, then rubbed his fingers together like Gabriel had taught him to coat his palm in wetness. He then grasped himself and slid his hand down his length. His eyes fluttered closed and his mouth fell open in pleasure.

 _Yes_ …

He stroked upwards and ran his thumb over the slit of his cock, gathering the precum that had seeped, rolling it around slowly, coating it to help make the glide even smoother, slicker, wetter.

He tilted his head back. _Oh fuck_...

He kept his strokes slow and languid, wanting to build up the tension. He moved his hips gently, pushing his dick forwards and backwards within the hot, tight tunnel created by his hand.

 _A teasing pair of eyes, watching him_.

He started to gasp and groan, it felt so damn good! He hadn’t touched himself this way in so long!

He then opened his eyes and saw himself, panting and gasping, the head of his dick disappearing in and out of the fist of his hand, making lewd, squelching sounds. His face was flushed, his mouth open. The arm he had braced on the sink was flexing along with his hips, and he looked…

He looked…

He looked desperate for more.

Keeping his eyes locked on his reflection, he increased his movements. He wanted, no, _needed_ to cum.

He moved his hand over himself faster and faster, pumping his hips in tandem with his movements. He panted and gasped, his eyes still locked on the mirror before him. He jerked harder on his cock, felt his balls lift and go taut.

“So close… So close…” he rasped.

 _Richard groaning his name_.

“Hnnggghhh!”

His orgasm hit and washed over him in waves of white-hot pleasure. Spurts of cum flew from his cock and across the sink, some of it hitting the mirror. He groaned with each pulse, feeling his knees threaten to buckle.

“Ah! Ah! AH!” He bit his lip hard, trying to keep from shouting. His orgasm continued to roll over him, and he kept pumping his hand over his dick, milking himself until he was empty. “Oh… _Oh God…!_ ”

As he tumbled down from his high, he heaved in large lungfuls of air. He felt himself softening in his palm, fingers dripping with his release. He blinked lazily at his face in the mirror in front of him, floating in post-orgasmic bliss.

He then closed his eyes. “Richard…”

As soon as the human’s name rolled off his lips, his eyes snapped wide open. What had he done? He looked down at himself. His skin was flushed, his hand and groin sticky with semen, clothes pooled around his ankles and spread about the floor. He slowly lifted his eyes to the mirror once more and saw how wrecked he looked, his bottom lip red and bit-swollen, face pink, eyes still glazed over from his lust.

He hurriedly cleaned up all the evidence of his self-pleasuring. He used hand soap and a washcloth to wipe down the sink and mirror, and also to cleanse his hands and body. He winced at the streaks that remained on the mirror, not sure what to do about them. He sighed in resignation and just touched it lightly with his finger to grace them away.

He quickly put his clothes to rights and went back into the bedroom and made his way to the window. He pointedly ignored looking at Richard. He just couldn’t do it at the moment.

It would be better in the morning.

Things were always better in the morning.


	4. You’re All I See

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little on the short side (sorry!), but I REALLY hope you all like it. :)
> 
> Thanks to Shaylybaby2032 for listening to my anxious wails of despair, and to Crimson_Rose_Poet for the gorgeous aesthetic!

[ ](http://www.freeimagehosting.net/commercial-photography/)

 

  

Richard sleepily opened his eyes and smiled. That dream, it was… Wow! Who was that guy? He hadn’t had a dream like that in ages! He went over what he could remember, focusing on the parts he had enjoyed the most. There had been panting and moaning, hands touching everywhere.

A kiss.

Eyes that reminded him of-

He sat straight up in bed, gasping.

“Something wrong?”

He jerked towards the voice of his friend. “Uh, no! No! Uh.” He turned his neck back and forth, loud popping noises matching the movement. “Just have a crick in my neck, from sleeping wrong.” He then rubbed his neck with a hand. “Hurts like a bitch, ya know?”

Gabe gave him a long, scrutinizing look. “Alright. If it keeps hurting you…”

Richard held his hands up. “No, it’ll be fine. Happens from time to time. Just one of those things, ya know?” _Please drop it, please drop it_ , he thought.

“Well, if you say so,” Gabe said. He looked out the window, then back to him. “So, plans over breakfast again?”

Richard sighed inwardly with relief. “Why don’t we do something different today?”

Gabe looked intrigued. “Oh?”

 

* * *

  

An hour later they were seated at a coffee shop, Gabe digging into a bear claw, Richard sipping a coffee and preparing to eat a fruit and cheese danish. There was a large bowl of strawberries in the middle of the table, along with a plate of scones and cream.

“Why haven’t we come here before now?” Gabe asked, licking one of his fingers. They were the only ones in the restaurant at this early hour, and he decided to ignore proper table manners because of it.

Richard placed his coffee cup on the table. “I always came here with Rob and the other guys. Didn’t feel right coming here by myself.” He leaned forward, grabbed a strawberry, and bit into it.

“I’m sorry that you were all alone for so long,” Gabe said, watching him pop the rest of the red heart-shaped fruit into his mouth. He quickly looked away, taking another bite of his pastry.

“Well, it’s OK now, right?” Richard said, picking up a fork. “Maybe now we can go to some other of my old haunts in the city.” He cut a piece of his danish, gathering up some of the fruit along with it.

Gabe looked up, blinking curiously. “We’ve been all over the place it seems. Where else could we possibly go?”

“There’s more to Vegas than the Strip, my friend,” Richard said, winking at him.

Gabe couldn’t stop the blush that filled his cheeks. “Umm, what do you mean?”

Richard had put his bite of food into his mouth, and was glad that he hadn’t been in the process of swallowing because he might’ve choked. The color that flooded the angel’s face made him look so innocent, and his dream from the night before flickered in his vision.

He chewed quickly and washed the bite down with a drink of coffee. “Umm, there’s the Valley of Fire, Hoover Dam, and Lake Mead.” He swirled his fork on top of his danish, mixing the fruit in the cheese. “Mount Charleston, too.”

“Oh! I thought you meant… I mean…” Gabe looked away, embarrassed.

Richard raised an eyebrow in question. “Meant what?”

Gabe shrugged. “Nothing. Say,” he said, attempting to change the subject. “Are we gonna go ride the coaster that we went on yesterday again?”

“Wait a minute, wait a minute,” Richard said, dropping his fork on his plate. “Don’t try to sidetrack me. What did you think I meant?” He grabbed another strawberry and pointed it at the angel. “Best tell me now, otherwise I’ll bug you all day about it, because I _will_ get my answer.” He reached for the cup of cream and dipped his strawberry into it, swirling it around. “I’m very persistent.”

Gabe’s mouth dropped against his will. Richard looked so… The strawberry… It was…

He shook his head. “Ugh, fine! Fine! I thought you meant…” He mumbled a word under his breath and gnawed on his bottom lip with his teeth.

Richard nearly dropped his strawberry. What the hell was going on? Where had all this sexual tension come from so suddenly? It had to go away; he couldn’t handle it right now.

They spoke at the same time.

“Hey, if it’s bothering you-”

“I thought you meant a strip-”

They stared at each other.

“You thought I meant WHAT?”

Gabe covered his face. “Oh hell…” He waited for Richard to start laughing, but when he didn’t, he peeked between his fingers to see the human looking at him thoughtfully. “What?”

“Last night. Our conversation. Thinking about it.”

“Oh God, don’t remind me.” Gabe ran his hands down his face.

Richard still felt a bit bad about what had happened the day before. He hadn’t realized that angels even had, well, _that_ , despite what Gabe had told him about their supposed matchmaking performer. And now once again, he had embarrassed his friend unintentionally.

He needed to make it up to him somehow.

 _Well, you **could** make it up to him in more than one way, ya know_, his mind told him.

He slammed those thoughts behind a door and triple-locked it. NO.

“Actually,” he said, turning his complete attention back to Gabe, “I was thinking of us doing what you suggested: let’s go ride that coaster, get our minds off all this awkwardness. And after that, let’s go check out the other thrills, huh?”

Gabe sighed heavily. “OK, I think I can go along with that. But can we finish our food first?”

“Hell yeah! I’m not letting these guys go to waste! It would be a sin!” Richard pulled the bowl of strawberries towards him and looked at them hungrily. “Come to Papa!”

“You’re going to eat ALL of those?”

Richard held two strawberries in each of his hands. “I’d fight over these. They’re my favorite.” He looked eagerly at the fruit he held. “I haven’t been in the mood for them in so long, because of… well, ya know.” He smiled as he turned back to Gabe.

Gabe smiled back. “So I’m guessing I won’t get to have any then?”

“Nope.”

 

* * *

  

They rode the coaster three times in a row, screaming as little girls do. Richard was glad that they hadn’t eaten anything too heavy for breakfast, because it might’ve ended up all over the couple sitting in front of them.

He thought of where to go next, and since they were both still high on excitement from the coaster, he decided to take Gabe to the SkyJump. He went first, yelling and whooping the entire way down the zipline. He then turned and waited for his friend to descend the 855 foot vertical free fall.

However, the angel had a stunned look on his face once he completed the trip, and Richard hurried forward, worried.

“Gabe!” he said, hovering as the attendants removed his gear. He kept an eye on his friend’s face, afraid that he would pass out.

 _But why would he pass out? **Could** he pass out? What happened?_ Richard wondered.

Once Gabe was free of the equipment, Richard grasped his arm with both hands and moved him aside to sit down. “Gabe? Hey buddy! What is it? Talk to me,” he said, trying to catch the angel’s gaze.

Gabe looked into Richard’s eyes and burst into tears. “Thank you!” he cried, then wrapped his arms around the human. “Oh thank you!” he sobbed.

Richard went rigid for a split second, then placed his hands on Gabe’s back. “Gabe…”

Gabe tensed, then pulled away, wiping his eyes with the palms of his hands. “I-I’m sorry. It’s just… I’ve never flown.” He closed his eyes and lifted his arms slightly perpendicular to his sides. “I wonder if that’s what it’s like, flying.”

“But you’re an angel,” Richard said.

Gabe opened his eyes. “Not in all aspects,” he said, smiling sadly. He wiped at his eyes once more.

 _The painting_ , Richard thought. _The birds. Has he really never…?_

Gabe turned and looked back up at the platform in the distance. “I’d rather come here everyday instead.”

“OK.”

Gabe looked at him. “Really?”

“Sure. I don’t think my ears can take anymore of your screaming.”

Gabe rolled his eyes. “Jackass.”

“You’re welcome,” Richard smiled smugly.

Gabe returned the smile, then turned back again. Richard’s eyes softened at the wistful look on his face, and they sat in peaceful silence, watching others dive to the ground for the next hour until they headed back to the hotel.

 

* * *

  

That day their friendship changed. Though there was an air of awkwardness from time to time (they would catch themselves looking at the other, then quickly glance away elsewhere), they started to talk more about themselves when they were out and about. They learned how they both shared a crude sense of humor and a snarky wit, and that while Richard preferred to live in the moment, Gabe was more of a think ahead kind of guy.

One day they decided to explore outside the city, using a small car that was parked in the hotel garage that had been left behind. They decided to go to the Valley of Fire State Park, which was about fifty miles outside the city. They hiked about the trails, viewing the rock formations and admiring the red, yellow, white, and blue colors that gave the park its name. They saw a small family of bighorn sheep and watched them quietly as they jumped easily about, leaping through the air and nimbly landing from rock to rock.

Richard observed Gabe watching, once more seeing that look of longing in the angel’s eyes. “Amazing how they can do that, huh?” he commented quietly.

Gabe nodded. “It must be something, to be able to do that on a whim,” he answered. He turned his gaze to the setting sun. “It’s beautiful out here, away from the city.”

Richard nodded. _Changing the subject again_ , he thought. “It is different. Quiet. Peaceful.”

Gabe thought back to the plan that had been forming in his mind for the past several weeks. “I had a weird thought a while back, while looking at a magazine.”

“What kind of magazine?” Richard asked, raising an eyebrow wryly.

Gabe rolled his eyes. “Ha! Ha!” he said. “No, it was a travel magazine.”

“Travel?” Richard frowned. “Are you suggesting that we go somewhere?”

“Yeah! We’ve been all over Vegas; let’s go someplace, or maybe even more than one place! There’s so much we could see and do, right?” Gabe smiled, latching onto the idea eagerly. “It would be fun!”

Richard looked pensive. “I dunno... “ He looked back at the sheep. “I’ve gotten used to being here. I know where everything is.” He turned back to Gabe. “I don’t know what’s out there.”

Gabe placed a calming hand on his friend’s shoulder. “You won’t be alone, Richard. I’ll be with you.”

Richard turned his gaze to the angel’s hand, then let it travel up his arm to his face. There was nothing but sincerity in his eyes. “And we would come back?”

“Yes,” Gabe said, smiling softly. “Just say the word, and we’d come back straightaway.”

Richard took a deep breath. “Are you wanting to go right now?” he asked hesitantly.

“You mean like tonight?” Gabe asked. When Richard nodded, the angel shook his head. “No, I meant maybe a few days from now. We’d need to plan and all that, right?”

Richard smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, yeah, that’s right.” He stepped back from Gabe, and the angel dropped his hand. “Sorry, that was dumb.”

“Nah, I just caught you off guard,” Gabe said, putting his hands in his pockets. He didn’t know what to do with them for some odd reason.

They both looked up at the same time, noticing that the sun had dropped further below the horizon.

“I guess we should head back, huh?” Richard said.

“Yeah, it’ll be after dark by the time we get within the city limits at this rate,” Gabe replied.

They turned and started back up the trail, walking side by side. Neither said anything for a long while.

“Could we just…” Richard trailed off.

Gabe looked at him from the side of his eye. “Yeah?”

“Could we just drive?” Richard said. “On the trip, I mean.”

Gabe slowed his stride. “You mean, go where the road takes us?”

Richard looked at the ground as they walked slowly. “Yeah, take it easy. No pressure, no worrying about following a schedule. Just… enjoying every day.”

“That sounds…” Gabe looked up at the sky, seeing the first stars of the evening twinkling down at him. “That sounds like a great idea.”

 

* * *

  

When they got back to the city, they stopped at a fast food place and grabbed a quick meal to take back to the hotel. Richard wanted to just take a shower after sweating all day, eat, and go to bed.

Once they arrived, Richard told Gabe to go ahead and finish up his milkshake so it wouldn’t melt while he grabbed his nightclothes before he headed into the bathroom. The angel gave him a thumbs-up, sucking on his straw.

Richard swallowed, then waved as he closed the door. He leaned against it and shook his head, the image of Gabe’s lips around the straw refusing to leave his mind. Ugh! Why did he have to do that?!

He placed his clothes on the counter and stripped out of his dirty clothes, then turned on the water, waiting for it to get warm. He took a deep breath, watching the water swirl down the drain.

His dream came back to him. Gabe had been in his wet swim trunks, pressing his body against him. Running his hands along his stomach…

Richard squeezed his eyes shut.

Gabe’s lips sucking that straw... What would they feel like on him?

He snapped his eyes open. Fuck!

He quickly turned the showerhead on, not caring that it wasn't at the temperature he preferred yet. He got in, shuddering at the lukewarm water. He needed to get himself under control!

He leaned his head against the tile, breathing in and out slowly. _You can’t think like this! You’re about to leave on a trip for who knows how long with him! Don’t make it even more weird than it is already!_

He opened his eyes and groaned inwardly as he looked down.

He was as hard as a rock.

Shit!

The water turned warm, and he raised his face so it ran over it. He felt so hot, and arousal flooded his senses.

“Gabe…” he moaned softly, images of the angel filling his mind.

 _Gabe with his face tinged pink from blushing_.

Richard ran his hand down his chest slowly, feeling his heart beat faster.

 _Gabe chewing his bottom lip nervously_.

He ran his fingers over his abdomen, and he shuddered.

 _Gabe and himself in the water, faces so close that he could’ve licked his lips_.

He grazed his fingertips along his pubic hair, and his breath hitched and his cock throbbed.

_And Gabe… Gabe’s mouth around that straw… his cheeks hollowed as he sucked the thick contents of the container into his warm mouth..._

**_Oh God_...**

He finally grasped his shaft and gave it one long, smooth, firm stroke from base to tip. He leaned his forehead to rest against the tile again, and felt a jolt of pleasure hit him.

He needed this, oh, he needed this.

He started to move his hand quickly, twisting his wrist every time his palm slid across the underside of his cockhead, and he bit his lips at each pass. He spread his knees slightly as he brought his other hand down to caress and roll his testicles. He turned his head to the side, leaning it heavily upon the shower wall, opening his mouth and panting.

“Oh fuck… yes… so good… _so good_...” he whispered.

 _Gabe_...

He ran his thumb over the tip of his cock, circling it on each upstroke rapidly before pulling his hand back down. He jacked himself faster and faster, driving himself towards release.

“Mmm… Uh!” he panted, then pressed his mouth directly against the tile to stifle his moans. He thrust his hips into his hand rapidly, desperate to cum.

_Gabe, Gabe, Gabe…_

When his orgasm hit him, he almost fell. He staggered forward, his shout of pleasure muffled against the wall. His testicles pulsed in his hand as he coated the tile in front of him. He moved his fingers on his cock firmly through it, savoring the feeling as long as he could.

When the haze of bliss cleared enough for him to think clearly, he turned his head and breathed deeply. He knew that he had just crossed a line, but maybe…

No, he would wait. Now wasn’t the time, and he didn’t want to risk being alone again.

He finished up his shower, cringing as he also cleaned up his sticky fluids from the wall.

When he went out to eat his dinner, he only looked at Gabe when he had to, which wasn’t too difficult since the angel was looking at the travel magazine he’d mentioned in curiosity.

“I know that we decided to just drive as we pleased, but there are a few interesting things that have given me ideas,” he said after a short while.

“Like what?” Richard asked, eating a bite of his food.

“Well, there are all of these tourist attraction things and parks that can be found in various places. I’m hoping that we run across some. We could take pictures!” he said, looking at Richard with a huge grin on his face.

Richard looked down. “Um, yeah! We’ll do that!” he said. 

Gabe cocked his head. “You OK?”

Richard looked up. “Yeah! Just tired, I guess. Trying to finish this up so I can crash.”

Gabe nodded. “Gotcha. I’ll leave ya to it then.” He went back to the magazine, and Richard quickly ate the rest of his meal then went to sleep.

 

* * *

  

The next day the tension between them had increased, but neither let on to the fact. They went to the cafe, carried on light conversation, and talked about exactly when they would take off for parts unknown.

They overheard a couple at another table chatting, and Gabe heard the words “Fremont Street” spoken more than once. He looked over at Richard, who had turned to look out the window of the cafe with an intense expression.

Gabe was getting antsy about all this sudden uneasiness between them. They needed to find something lively to do before leaving, or the trip would be torture.

“Wanna hit up Freemont Street before we leave?”

Richard blinked and turned to him. “What?”

Gabe picked up his cappuccino and held it to his lips. “Fremont Street. We haven’t gone there. Let’s go. Tonight. Should be fun.”

Richard thought over his request. They’d be around a lot of other people. Should be OK.

“Sure, why not? One last big bang!” he said, smiling widely. He then widened his eyes. Crap! Wrong thing to say!

Gabe took a long swallow of his drink, doing his best not to react. He set his cup down and returned the smile. “Great! We'll head over there before dark.”

 

* * *

 

That evening they found a ride to Fremont Street in a van with a group of other people out on the town. Some were aware of Richard’s reputation, but since he had been sober, and in Gabe’s company, most had changed their opinions of their world’s remaining main character

On the short trip over, many of their fellow passengers chatted with the duo, explaining how they were looking forward to spending their time at their destination. A handful talked about how they wanted to get plastered, and Gabe placed his hand on Richard’s arm in silent support. The human gave him a thankful smile.

Once they arrived, they all filed out of the van and thanked their new acquaintances for the ride. Gabe made a point of asking for the driver’s keys, which they readily handed over. Gabe gave Richard a small smile as he pocketed them.

They strolled up the street, looking up at the light show over their heads. They marveled at the swirling colors that moved to the rhythm of the music that filled their ears, and when it ended they looked at one another and smiled.

“Yeah, this was a good idea,” Richard said.

They walked on, stopping now and then to look at the various street performers. Gabe was surprised at how talented they were. He elbowed Richard after hearing someone sing. “You should’ve come here and done something like that,” he said.

Richard frowned. “Nah, I’m not that good,” he said. He walked on ahead, and Gabe followed, puzzled.

“What are you talking about?” he said after he caught up him. “You’re an amazing singer.”

Richard looked down. “It’s just a hobby, really. Besides,” he said, turning his head to him. “I don’t plan on doing that anymore.”

Gabe wanted to say more, but they were interrupted by a couple of women, who appeared slightly drunk. “Are you guys twins?” one of them asked.

Richard and Gabe stared at them. “I… Well…” Gabe stuttered.

“Aren’t they cute? Doing the twin thing?” the other tittered.

“It’s so hot!” her companion sighed.

Richard and Gabe looked at each other, and something unspoken, something within them that had been wanting to be released for what felt like forever, passed between them. They reached out and grasped the other’s hand, then leaned their shoulders together, feeling like it was the most natural thing in the world to do.

“Yeah, so we've been told,” Richard said, turning back to the women and smirking. However, he was feeling millions of butterflies going haywire in his stomach.

Gabe was doing his best not to tremble against Richard. “Yeah, we get it all the time. Our 'parents' don't like it, but what can you do?"

Richard chuckled, and Gabe felt both himself and the man next to him relax.

The two women laughed in response. “Well I think you two look fantastic together! I hope you’re happy for a long time!” the first one said. They both waved goodbye and walked away, leaving Richard and Gabe standing there, their hands still clasped together, shoulders touching.

“So,” Richard said.

“Yeah,” Gabe replied.

They were both still for a moment, the only sound in their ears coming from the music of the light show overhead.

“Hungry?” Richard asked.

“I could go for something sweet.”

“I think that little place up ahead has ice cream. Sound OK to you?”

Gabe smiled softly. “Sounds perfect.”

Hand-in-hand, they walked up the street, the tension they had been feeling for days gone.

Yes, it had been a good idea.

A _perfect_ idea.

 

* * *

  

They stayed for a few more hours. Sometime during their walk around one of them slid an arm around the other’s waist, and it was quickly copied by the other, and the feelings of contentment increased tenfold. They both just couldn’t believe how _right_ it felt to just casually touch and hold each other close this way.

When it came time to meet everyone back at the van, Gabe jumped in the driver’s seat and Richard sat in the front passenger’s seat next to him. After everyone had been safely dropped off, Richard said, “I don’t want the night to end just yet.”

Gabe looked at him. “Me neither. Where do you wanna go?”

Richard looked out the windshield. “There,” he said, pointing at the large ferris wheel that circled in the distance. “I wanna go there.”

“OK, we’ll go there,” Gabe said, pressing his foot on the gas to increase their speed slightly.

It took just a handful of minutes for them to arrive and park. They immediately grasped hands once more and walked to the loading platform for the large pods of the ferris wheel, aptly named the High Roller. The attendant took one look at them and smiled.

“You guys are the last of the night it seems,” she said, checking the time. “You got one all to yourselves.” She opened the door of the pod and motioned them in. “Enjoy!”

They waved and walked inside, then sat on one of the benches as it started to move. Once it was several feet in the air, Gabe stood and went to look out over the city.

He felt Richard stand behind him and lean his head over his shoulder. “Are you OK?”

Gabe turned his head, then blinked when his nose bumped into Richard’s. They stared into each other’s eyes. “I’m more than OK,” he whispered. He gasped when Richard whipped him around and pressed his back against the glass.

“Gabe,” he said, his face still close to his.

“Yes?” Gabe said.

“I like you.”

Gabe’s breath caught in his throat. “Really?”

Richard placed a hand on Gabe’s shoulder and rested the other on the side of his face. “Yes, really.” He leaned forward, then brushed his lips lightly on his.

They both felt a thrill go up their spines as their lips gently touched. Richard felt Gabe shiver and still, then pulled his face away. Gabe looked into the human’s eyes as Richard wrapped his hand around the back of the angel’s head with a questioning look.

“First kiss?” Richard asked, moving his fingers through Gabe’s hair softly.

“First _real_ kiss,” Gabe answered, then pulled Richard’s face close to his once more until their noses touched.

Richard smiled. “Want another one?” He rubbed his nose against the angel’s teasingly.

“That and more,” Gabe said, then surged forward and crashed their mouths together.

This time the kiss was hot and heated. Gabe tasted faintly of the ice cream he had eaten, and Richard couldn’t get enough.

He moved his lips away slightly and gasped for air. “Gabe,” he whispered against his mouth. He then kissed him deeply. “Gabe.” _Kiss._ “Gabe.” Over and over, he said his name between kisses.

Gabe reached up and tugged on Richard’s shirt, pulling him closer. He never wanted the kisses to end.

Slowly Richard ran his hands down Gabe’s side, and the angel shuddered. He turned his head, and Richard trailed his lips down his neck. “R-Richard,” he sighed. He unconsciously thrust his hips against him, and Richard thrust back, and they both groaned deeply.

“I want you,” Richard sighed against Gabe’s neck. “So bad…” He slid his palm down the angel’s stomach and over the bulge of his pants. “Gabe…”

Gabe tossed his head back. “Please…” he moaned. He spread his legs slightly. “Want you too, Richard.”

Richard nipped at Gabe’s skin and rubbed his palm firmly against the angel's groin. “Mmm, you like that, Gabe?” He smiled when the angel whimpered, then popped open the button of Gabe’s pants so he could unzip them. “Let me feel you.”

Gabe panted. “Please, please touch me, Richard.” He whined softly when he felt Richard’s hand slip into his underwear and grasp him. “ _Ohhhh_...”

Richard licked up Gabe’s neck and whispered in his ear. “Damn, Gabe; looks like you weren’t gypped in the downstairs department either. Gonna have fun with this cock.” He stroked Gabe firmly up and down. “SO much fun.”

Gabe moved his hips with Richard’s strokes. “Richard… please…”

Richard looked over Gabe’s shoulder, then groaned. “Ride's almost over, Sweetie.” Gabe’s eyes fluttered at the endearment. “And there's no way that your first time can be in here.” He slowly took his hand away, and Gabe moaned in disappointment. “It’s OK, we’re not far from the hotel.”

They shakily straightened their clothes, calmed down as much as they could. However, they received a coy, knowing look from the ride attendant as they exited.

“Enjoy the rest of your night fellas!” she said, winking as they walked away.

Gabe’s cheeks flushed, but Richard only wrapped his arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders as he waved goodbye to her.

 _Boyfriend_ , he thought, pulling Gabe close to him.

He felt a rush of warmth as he realized that the angel at his side held that title now.

He smiled the whole way back to the van.


	5. Learning To Breathe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: NSFW Image further along in chapter
> 
> Enjoy!

 

The moment they were in the elevator, Richard nearly cried out when Gabe bodily threw him to the wall and attacked his mouth with fervor. The angel was extremely aroused as he ran his hands through the human’s hair, over his shoulders, down his back, and pressed his body against his own.

Richard could only wrap his arms around him to do the same, and they made out heavily. It was like they couldn’t get enough of each other.

When the elevator announced that they had arrived at their floor, then quickly exited and literally raced for the hotel room. The moment the door closed behind them, Gabe had Richard up against it, all over him once again. Clothes were stripped from bodies, hands roved against naked skin. Whispers, murmurs, and moans of need were heard.

“Bed,” Richard panted. “Bed, Gabe.”

Gabe walked backwards, tugging the human along with him, never removing his mouth from Richard’s. However, when the backs of his knees touched the side of the mattress, he suddenly stilled. He pulled back and looked into Richard's face, and for the first time since Richard had kissed him, a look of uncertainty clouded his features.

“Gabe?” Richard asked, gently touching his arm. “Are you OK? Are we going too fast?”

“N-No,” Gabe said, then sighed when Richard blinked and raised an eyebrow. “M-Maybe a little. No one’s ever wanted me before.”

“Shhh, it’s OK,” Richard said. He pressed forward and gently kissed him. “I want you. I want you so damn bad, Gabe…” He kissed him again. “Come on, sit down. I’ve got you.”

Gabe slowly sat on the bed, and Richard did the same on his side. “Just say the word, and we’ll stop, OK?” Gabe nodded. Richard then leaned forward and kissed him softly, and Gabe sighed against his mouth. It turned heated quickly, and Gabe wrapped his arms around Richard and pulled him on top of him. He wanted this, he had wanted it for so long…

Richard pushed himself up over Gabe. “Is this OK?” Gabe nodded, then jerked Richard down and fiercely crushed his lips to his. He felt the human’s tongue prod his lips and he opened them, moaning as his own tongue was touched and fondled by Richard’s. They explored each other’s mouths, and it was so tantalizingly erotic, and Gabe wanted more.

Richard felt Gabe relax underneath him, and he let a hand wander down the side of his body. Gabe moved into his touch and pressed his mouth harder against his lips. Richard circled one of his nipples with his finger, then tugged on it, and Gabe released his lips and turned his head.

“Oh!”

“Feel good?” Richard said. He tugged again, and Gabe nodded.

“Yes!”

Richard pulled himself down and licked his other nipple, causing the angel to whine. “That too?”

“Yes!” Gabe said again. He fisted the bed covers.

“Hmm.” He played with Gabe’s nipples, drawing out more whimpers from the angel, loving the sounds he made. He then gently kissed the scar on his sternum as he made his way down, and Gabe lifted his hands to run them through Richard’s hair, murmuring his name.

When Richard’s chin bumped the top of Gabe’s cock, the angel jumped and sighed loudly. “Richard… _Ohhh_.” Richard moved his head and kissed the weeping tip, then lapped up the fluids, moaning at how sweet they were. He wrapped his lips around it and sucked gently, and Gabe cried out.

“Oh fuck! Don’t stop!” He pulled on Richard’s hair, spreading his legs and trying to push himself up into the human’s mouth. “Oh shit that feels good!”

Richard kept gently sucking, then took one of his hands to graze his fingertips over the angel’s testicles, around and around, caressing the delicate skin gently.

“More! Please more!” Gabe begged. He pushed on Richard’s head, not hard enough to hurt, but enough to let him know that he wanted more of his mouth on him. Richard gave in to his pleas and swallowed Gabe’s cock all the way down until it hit the back of his throat and his prickly pubic hair touched his nose.

“OH!” Gabe arched his back, bending his legs on either side of Richard’s head. “HOLY SHIT!”

Richard sucked hard as he pulled back up and off of Gabe. “I take it you’re enjoying it?”

Gabe untangled his fingers from Richard’s hair and raised himself up on his elbows. “You _think?_ Fuck, Richard! Stop asking stupid questions!”

Richard held Gabe’s gaze as he gave one long, wet lick up the underside of Gabe’s shaft, making the angel’s eyes squeeze shut while his mouth fell open with a choked gasp. “That’s it. I like that face...”

“Richard, I-UH!” Gabe tossed his head back as Richard swallowed him whole once more and began bobbing his head up and down, hollowing his cheeks and sucking hard on him. Gabe raised a hand and placed it on Richard’s head, moving his arm along with the human’s head. “Ah! AH! OH GOD!”

Richard trailed a finger along Gabe’s taint and pressed against it, smiling inwardly when Gabe spread his legs wider. He circled his fingers, pushing right in the middle. Gabe nearly choked at the sensation. Richard started to swallow around his cock, and Gabe fell back, pushing his hips up into his mouth.

“Mmm… Mmm…” Gabe moaned over and over.

Knowing that if he continued in this way too much longer that Gabe would go over, Richard slowly removed his lips, and the angel complained. “Nooo… Don’t…”

“It’s not over yet, Sweetie,” Richard said, laying his hand over Gabe’s abdomen. He patted it gently and moved further down to his splayed legs. He looked at the angel’s pink, furled hole, then froze as something occurred to him. “Uh oh,” he said.

Gabe sat up, face flushed. “What?” he breathed.

Looking chagrined, Richard leaned his head against the angel’s leg. “No lube.”

Gabe chuckled. “Good thing I can do this,” he said. He held his hand out, wiggling his fingers. Richard raised his and the angel slid his palm over the human’s digits.

When Richard pulled his hand back, it was slick with some clear substance. Richard spread his fingers and it glistened in the lights coming in from the window. “What is it?”

“Angel lube, courtesy of my grace,” Gabe said, looking smug.

Richard looked impressed. He sniffed it out of curiosity. “Strawberries?” he said.

Gabe chuckled. “Well, since someone likes them so much…”

“Well aren’t you a clever boy.”

Gabe shrugged. “It’s a gift.”

Richard leaned back down and settled in between Gabe’s legs. “Looks like I get to enjoy them as a side-item tonight,” he said, licking his lips suggestively as he peered at the angel’s opening once more.

Gabe shivered at the human’s words, then gasped as he felt a wet finger rub over his hole. “Ooo…”

Richard sighed at the sound. It was even more beautiful than he had imagined it. He then ran two fingers down the angel’s opening, smiling as the sound issued forth again. “Be as loud as you want, Gabe,” he said, pressing his fingers firmly as he circled his digits around the puckered bud.

“It feels so… so…” Gabe pressed his ass closer to Richard. “I just know I like it.”

“I like it too,” Richard purred. He applied more lube around Gabe’s hole, then leaned in and licked it, discovering the heady taste of Gabe and enjoying the succulent flavor of strawberries. “I like how you taste too.”

“M-More than strawberries?” Gabe gasped. He cried out when Richard lapped firmly at his wrinkled ring of muscle for a short moment, and he felt his cock dribble with precum on his belly. “Oh-Oh fuck…”

Richard raised his head and rested it on the inside of Gabe’s quivering thigh. “I think I have a new favorite thing,” he said. His mouth glistened with lube. “I might need to ‘eat’ it all the time now.” He winked at his pun, then lowered his head back to wrap his lips around Gabe’s softening rim.

Before he had a moment to process Richard’s words, his eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head as the human sucked on his hole. “AH! FUCK! RICHARD!”

Richard closed his eyes and sucked and sucked at Gabe. He assumed that he needed to get him as prepped as he could. He didn’t know if angels experienced pain from having sex the first time, but he wasn’t going to take any chances. This was Gabe. This was the person who had dug him out of his darkness. This was the person who hadn’t given up on him. This was the person who maybe-

He shut his eyes tighter. He wasn’t ready to think that far ahead just yet.

Gabe’s cries echoed off the walls. Richard’s name fell from his lips. He didn’t know that it was like this. Back at the Summit, and unbeknownst to them, he had once heard the muffled sounds of Gabriel, Loki, and Rich as they were together while he was walking past their room once. Of course it had made him curious, hearing them share each other, but he had quickly made himself stop listening and gone about his business.

And now, with Richard, he was realizing that it was much more amazing than he had imagined it to be. The months of waiting, the months of frustration, feelings of hurt and anger, they seemed like just a memory as Richard’s mouth continued to work its magic on him.

“Further! Further!” Gabe cried when Richard slipped the end of his tongue into him. He pushed his hips up against the human’s face, begging him to press it deeper inside his orifice. “Please, Richard!” The movement made his cock move against his belly, and he wrapped his hand around it, stroking it slowly. “I need it!”

Richard rutted his hips against the bed, seeking friction against his own weeping cock. Gabe was so warm and soft around his tongue! He stabbed it completely inside, swirling it along the walls of the angel’s passage. Damn he tasted so good!

“AHH!” Gabe threw his legs over Richard’s shoulders. “YES!” His hand moved hard over his turgid cock, and he bit his lips and blew air so hard out his mouth that his cheeks puffed out. “I need… Richard… I need…”

Richard pulled his mouth away, then pressed a finger gently into him. “I’m getting there, Sweetie. Just hold on,” he said. He moved his finger in and out, and Gabe wailed and thrashed his head from side to side. “I have to, it’s the only way,” he said apologetically.

“Hurry, Richard. Y-You can’t really hurt me,” Gabe gasped. “I j-just wanted to… experience it all…”

Richard felt the words go straight to his dick, and couldn’t help but moan at the implication. “Oh? So if I did THIS,” he stabbed another finger in roughly, and Gabe choked out a cry. “Ahhh, I see.” He pumped his digits inside the angel, panting at the wet sounds they made. “Oh Gabe, so many naughty thoughts going through my mind right now…”

“I-I wanna hear about them,” Gabe gasped. “B-But later. Hurry the fuck up, Richard!”

A third finger plunged into the angel, and Gabe hooked his ankles behind Richard’s head. “Ggggnnngg!” he groaned out. He dropped his hands to his sides and pulled hard on the covers, tearing them slightly. “AH!”

Richard twisted his fingers, spreading them and stretching the angel open. “You ready, Gabe? Ready for my cock?”

Gabe felt like his mind might implode. It felt so good! He wanted this! The timidity from earlier was completely gone; Richard had been true to his word, had been patient with him, hadn’t pushed him. He trusted him.

He was ready.

“More than,” Gabe said, vibrating with anticipation.

Richard slowly eased his fingers out of Gabe, noting with relish at the angel’s loose opening’s resistance to the removal.

“This will be easier if I’m behind you,” he said. It wasn’t quite the truth; he just wasn’t ready to be in too intimate a position yet.

Gabe, sensing the same thing, slowly uncrossed his legs and pushed himself backwards before rolling onto his stomach and getting on his hands and knees sideways across the bed. He felt Richard crawl up to him.

Richard looked at the angel before him, at the expanse of smooth skin, at rounded buttocks, at his loose, wet opening. He licked his lips, then grasped his cock with his slick fingers, slathering it with the remaining lube that Gabe had provided. He then placed both his hands on the angel’s hips and used his knees to spread Gabe’s legs a bit wider apart as he moved between them.

“OK, Sweetie. Here we go,” he said, placing the tip of his engorged shaft at Gabe’s opening.

“I trust you,” Gabe said softly. He closed his eyes and relaxed his muscles.

Richard tightened his fingers on Gabe’s skin at his words. “I know, and I got you, remember that,” he said. He pressed forward, feeling the slight resistance of the angel’s hole around his cockhead for a second, before it opened and engulfed it. He stopped moving, gritting his teeth at how Gabe’s rim gripped him.

Gabe moaned and tilted his head back. “Oooo… That’s… Ohhh…” He pushed his hips back, and they both shuddered as a couple inches of Richard’s cock slid in. “Ohhh Richard… Y-You’re…” He squeezed his muscles around him. “AH!”

“Gabe,” Richard huffed out. “Fuck, Gabe… D-Don’t…” He pushed forward and entered until he was in half-way. “Tight... “ he hissed.

“Get in me,” Gabe breathed. “Get in me…” he repeated. He pushed back hard, and he and Richard shouted as the human’s cock was sheathed, deep, hard, and throbbing, inside Gabe.

“Gabe,” Richard gasped. He rubbed his thumbs in circles on the angel’s hips. “Oh Gabe…” He was so tight! So hot! He just wanted to pound into him, he felt so amazing wrapped around him.

Gabe felt his arms wobble underneath him. Full! He felt so full! He could feel every quiver of Richard’s cock inside him. It thrilled him to the very core. His own cock thrummed between his legs, and he knew he was dripping onto the blanket below him, but he didn’t care. Richard was inside him! It felt so… so…

 _Right_.

“I’m gonna move, Sweetie,” Richard said. He saw Gabe nod. He gripped the angel’s pelvis, then pulled his hips back slowly, dragging his cock heavily against Gabe’s walls, causing them both to moan. Just as the head of his cock was about to leave Gabe’s channel, he pushed back in, and Gabe moaned his name.

“Nice and slow? You like it that way?” Richard said, continuing the pace. He closed his eyes, fighting the urge to speed up his thrusts.

“I love it, but I can handle more,” Gabe gasped. He shifted his arms under him, fighting to keep them from collapsing. “Uh! Your cock… feels… AH! AH! YES! YES!”

Richard increased the pace and force of his thrusts, the skin of his thighs and lower stomach smacking against Gabe’s ass. The bed started to creak. “Like that? You want me to fuck you like that?” Richard panted.

“I-I said ‘YES’ didn’t I?!” Gabe shouted. He leaned over and fell to his elbows, lowering his head between them. He wailed when Richard swiveled his hips and angled them slightly. “OH! OH! OHHH!!!”

“Did I hit something good in there?” Richard said, pounding into the angel relentlessly. “Want me to keep doing it?” He tossed his head back and groaned when Gabe clenched around him.

“YES! DON’T STOP!” Gabe started to shudder, and he felt his legs go weak. He couldn’t hold himself up anymore. He fell forward onto his stomach, still holding his upper body up on his elbows. Richard went with him, never ceasing with his thrusts. He laid over his back and hooked his elbows under the angel’s armpits, holding onto him tightly as he continued to pump his hips.

“Spread your legs out, Gabe, I’m not gonna stop,” Richard breathed harshly into his ear. Gabe eagerly did so, and Richard slammed into him over and over, seeking both their pleasures. He drilled into the angel’s prostate, making him scream and toss his head back while he writhed beneath him.

Richard fucked hard into Gabe, clutching his back to his chest. Gabe leaned his forehead down on the bed, his body jarring back and forth under the onslaught of the human atop him. It was so good! So good! He was getting high on pleasure, and each plunge of Richard’s cock into his stretched, wet hole hit directly against that delicious place deep inside of him.

Richard laid his head on Gabe’s shoulder, shoving his cock inside him over and over. He’d never had sex this good before. Gabe took his cock like he was made for him, and perhaps he was, considering who they both were. Why had they waited so long? He pounded into Gabe, drawing mewling wails from him, making the angel beg for him to go harder.

Gabe didn’t want it to end. He wanted to stay right here, forever, pleading for Richard to make him feel just what he was feeling right now. It was perfect, so perfect. Every move of Richard’s hips, every hot breath against his skin, it made him feel like he was meant to be in this moment.

They both felt the tension build, felt the fire deep in their groins prepare to snap. Finally, Richard shouted, “CUM FOR ME GABE! DO IT!” He thrust hard to the hilt, and he cried out along with the angel as he felt Gabe’s walls spasm convulsively around his cock, catapulting him into his own orgasm, shooting his white hot load deep inside of Gabe’s hole. They both rocked and gyrated against each other, lost in the throes of ecstasy.

Gabe came down first, feeling Richard moaning and moving on top and within him still. He groaned as his oversensitized prostate was rubbed against, and sighed in relief when Richard stopped. When he sensed the human on his back become aware of his surroundings and start to lift himself, Gabe trapped Richard to his back by twining their legs together and pulling their arms tight to his sides.

“Nooo, don’t move,” he whined.

“Gabe, I-I’m still inside of you,” Richard panted, flexing his hips to show that he was telling the truth. Gabe moaned along with Richard, both still sensitive to touch.

“Hmm, don’t care. I want you to stay,” Gabe breathed, hugging the human’s limbs closer to himself. He was feeling extremely happy in the afterglow.

Richard kissed his shoulder. “So you’re saying that you want _all_ of me to stay?” His voice held a suggestive tone.

Gabe smiled. “Maybe.”

“Huh. You are full of surprises tonight. I think tomorrow you and I are gonna have to visit another one of my favorite places.”

“As long as you stay put, I don’t care where we go.”

“You want me to _sleep_ here too? What about you?” Richard asked, incredulous. “You’re lying in your-”

“I’ll take care of it later. Go to sleep.”

“More surprises,” Richard said. “OK then, but can I at least get a blanket?”

Gabe relaxed his hold slightly on Richard’s extremities then snapped a finger. The blanket rolled up from the end of the bed and covered their naked bodies. “Better?”

Richard sighed and kissed his shoulder again. “Much. Good night, Gabe.”

“Good night, Richard.”

  

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* * *

  

Gabe spent the night enjoying the feel of the human’s slumbering form atop his. He let go of Richard's limbs shortly after the human fell asleep, and during the night Richard would shift against him every so often to make contented sounds as he nuzzled his neck. He snored quietly from time to time, and Gabe couldn’t help but smile because of it.

When morning arrived, a ray of sunlight fell across the angel’s face, and he waited the few seconds it took for Richard to open his eyes. The human moaned and turned his head away from the light and wrapped his arms around Gabe’s shoulders. “Turn it off,” he complained.

Gabe’s frame shook as he chuckled. “I’d try, but I think the sun would win,” he said. He moved his head to the side and looked over his shoulder. “Sleep well?”

Richard leaned forward and kissed Gabe’s cheek. “You make a comfy bed,” he said. He sighed and rutted his hips against Gabe’s ass. “And a nice cockwarmer too,” he breathed huskily into Gabe’s ear.

Gabe moaned, then moaned louder as he felt Richard’s morning wood rock inside of him. Richard rolled them sideways, keeping them connected. He raised Gabe’s leg to open him wide for him, then pulled his cock out of his hole halfway and shoved it back into him, using the cum that was still buried deep within from the night before as lubricant.

“Yes!” Gabe tossed his head back onto Richard’s shoulder, then started moving his hips as Richard set a bruising pace within him. His cock brushed over that sensitive spot inside him with each plunge into his still stretched hole, and he knew he was already addicted to this, addicted to Richard, and he didn’t care. He just wanted to keep doing this with him, and only him.

“Play with yourself, Sweetie,” Richard panted. He watched Gabe’s hand move to his cock, then licked his lips as the angel wrapped his fingers around himself and moved them up and down hurriedly. “That’s it, work that thick cock. Wanna see that white jizz all over your fingers when I make you cum.”

“Fuck, Richard,” Gabe groaned, stroking his cock fast and hard in time with Richard’s thrusts. He turned his head. “Kiss me,” he said, and moaned when the human captured his lips, slanting his mouth against his, forcing his tongue between his lips so he could lick inside over and over.

Richard thrust faster and faster, Gabe’s hand following suit, and they both heard the bed springs bouncing up in down in cadence to their movements. They continued devouring each other’s mouths, drinking in their moans, not wanting to stop, only to keep feeling this intense desire and lust that they had found for each for as long as they could draw it out.

Gabe felt Richard’s balls slapping erotically against his own, and it set off a string of tingles through his groin. He released Richard’s lips and panted against the side of his mouth. “Close… Close…”

“Gonna cum for me, baby boy?” Richard didn’t realize what he was saying, he was so lost in what he was doing to the angel. He increased the strength of his thrusts, aiming directly for Gabe’s prostate. “Gonna paint the blanket white for me?” He sucked on the side of Gabe’s neck.

Gabe wailed. “Please! Please let me!”

“Do it for me! Cum for me! NOW GABE!”

“Ah! AH! _AHHHH!!!_ ”

Gabe’s testicles contracted over and over, and ropes of white, sticky cum landed across the bed in front of the still moving couple. Richard watched, his hips pumping his cock inside the angel’s clenching hole. He grit his teeth, chasing his orgasm, wanting to fill the angel with another load of his own hot release.

“Fuck, Gabe, fuck,” he rasped out, and gripped Gabe’s hip tightly. He pounded into the angel, leaning his head on his shoulder. “So good, so good.” He slammed himself into Gabe hard three more times to the hilt before he loudly groaned out his release.

“ _UHHHHH…!_ ”

Gabe shuddered as he felt Richard fill him. Damn! So hot! He leaned back heavily against the man’s chest, both trying to catch their breaths. He felt the sweat pouring off of Richard, but he didn’t mind; he had helped work up the sweat for him, hadn’t he?

“Can… Can we do this every day, too?” Gabe gasped. He heard and felt Richard laugh softly.

“We’re gonna need some things first. I can’t just keep lying on top of you every night keeping you plugged up.”

Gabe turned to look at him, intrigued by the idea. “What kind of things?”

Richard ran his hand up Gabe’s side slowly, feeling the angel’s skin break out in goosebumps under his touch. “Well,” he drawled. “Let’s go to that old haunt of mine I mentioned before I conked out last night, and I’ll show you.”

“What exactly is this place?” Gabe asked curiously.

“It has toys, of the pleasurable kind,” Richard said, moving his eyebrows up and down suggestively. He then raised his hand and “booped” Gabe on the nose. “We might even be able to find a few more ‘interesting’ things for you.”

Gabe smirked. “Things that your ‘baby boy’ might like?”

Richard blanched. “D-Did I say that?” At Gabe’s nod, he winced. “Hope I didn’t go too far; it’s just a kink thing with me.”

Gabe shrugged. “Hey, I’m not naive, and I’m open to experiencing things.” He leaned up on his elbow and kissed Richard softly. “And like I said, I trust you, and you can’t hurt me.”

Richard smiled. “Alright, but we’ll have to talk very carefully about it first.” He nuzzled Gabe’s hair. “There’ll have to be rules.”

“No time like the present, right?”

“True. Wanna sit up so we’re more comfortable?” He went to pull away, but the angel quickly raised his arm and wrapped it around Richard’s neck to hold him close while squeezing the leg that had fallen over the human’s thigh firmly against him.

“This is just fine,” Gabe said, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

Richard grinned. “I’m gonna have SO much fun with you.”

 

* * *

 

A few days later they were leaving Hoover Dam. They had attempted to go on the tour, but once they got to the tunnel portion, it had set Gabe on edge, and they had had to turn back. The person on duty got an attitude, and Richard had almost bitten the guy’s head off.

He was still pissed as they drove down the highway. “I don’t understand it! People didn’t used to be that way here! Other than the little squabble here and there, something like that was basically unheard of.”

Gabe looked up at the sky. It was just before midday, and the convertible they had chosen to travel in had its top down. “It’s OK, Richard. I’m fine now.”

“Yeah, doesn't mean it’s not right,” Richard huffed. He sat his hand on the seat between them palm-side up and wiggled his fingers, and Gabe smiled and laid his hand in his. “I don’t like seeing you like that; bothers me.” He rubbed the top of Gabe’s hand with his thumb.

“We'll just have to keep an eye out for things that will trigger me is all.” He looked at Richard’s face. “In fact, we should do that for each other, keep an eye out for things that will set us off.”

Richard squeezed Gabe’s hand. “Watching each other’s backs is definitely something boyfriends should do for each other.” He slid his eyes over to Gabe and winked. “Especially ones as hot as us.”

Gabe rolled his eyes. “You say that word at least a dozen times a day now.”

“Why not? It’s true,” he said, quickly turning his eyes back to the road.

“I know but-”

“Boyfriend.”

“Richard.”

“Boyfriend boyfriend boyfriend.”

“You’re gonna reach your quota before lunch if you keep going like that, ya know.”

 

* * *

 

That night they stopped at a little tourist town that surprisingly had a small population still inhabiting it. There was a B&B that was unoccupied, so they decided to stay there.

Richard was exhausted and went to sleep early, so Gabe busied himself with reading visitor’s guides for information on the area. He was still feeling a bit jittery from what had happened at the dam earlier in the day, but he was doing his best to ignore it.

He was going over the list of local tourist spots when the sounds of his own screams filled his ears. “No,” he whispered. It had been at least a month since he had had an episode. He looked up, afraid that he had awoken his boyfriend.

 _Boyfriend boyfriend boyfriend_ , he heard Richard’s voice say in his mind.

He tried focusing on it, but the deep, pulsing thrum of the Edge battled with it.

He stood and started to pace back and forth in front of the bed, covering his ears. “No,” he whispered over and over again.

His remembered shouts of pain stabbed the middle of his mind and he fell to his knees.

“Gabe!” someone said.

He leaned back and wrapped his arms around his legs and started to whimper. The sounds of his cries pushed against the person's voice. He was drowning.

“Gabe! What’s wrong? Look at me!”

He felt warm hands on his face, tilting it up gently. He refused to open his eyes. It was a trick, it had to be. It had _so_ many tricks…

“Dammit Gabe! OPEN YOUR EYES NOW!”

The commanding tone of the person’s voice made him go rigid. His eyes flew open, and he stared into the worried eyes of his lover. “R-Richard?”

“Gabe? Are you with me?” Richard’s eyes were wet.

“I was… It…”

“What happened, Sweetie? Where were you just now?” Richard ran his hands soothingly up and down Gabe’s arms.

“I was remembering when I-” Gabe covered his mouth with his hand. If he had been human he would’ve gotten sick.

“Remembering what? You can tell me, Gabe.” Richard’s eyes studied the angel’s face intently.

Gabe shakily lowered his hand and reached for Richard, who quickly opened his arms and pulled him close.

“My wing.”

“Your ‘wing?’ I don’t understand,” Richard said. He ran a hand up Gabe’s neck and into his hair, massaging his scalp gently. “Don’t you mean ‘wings?’”

Gabe buried his face into Richard’s chest. “No. My wing.” He rolled his left shoulder and went deathly still and quiet.

"Gabe?" Richard felt him grip his arms so tightly that it almost hurt. 

“The Edge," Gabe whispered. "It took it.”


	6. Who Do You Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Odium: Latin for an extreme dislike of something, that shivery feeling of disgust and hatred that you get when you see something senseless and horrible

[ ](http://www.freeimagehosting.net/commercial-photography/)

 

 

_Everyone knew that if you stepped off the Edge, you were actually on the outer fringes of the Purge, that deep chasm of nothingness where creators and authors discarded—deleted—their ideas and works. And swirling just beyond the Edge, Hate, the polar opposite of Love, lurked about, hoping to grasp any unfortunate persona who happened to get caught in the destruction of their architect’s eradication of their world._

_It was an agonizing way to be erased from existence. Not only were they sucked down into empty blankness by the power of the Purge, but they were touched by Hate directly, and together they shredded their forms and invaded their minds until nothing was left._

_Sometimes characters who had given up wanting to exist found a way to the Edge. Lost in despair, they took the energy their creators had used to give them “life” to appear before the dark chasm, leaving their “bodies” behind, which would disappear once they jumped. The ones who had unique written abilities would transport themselves there, bodies and all._

_Regardless of how they arrived, each would always feel the same: wanting to end it all, to become nothing. However, none knew how painful or torturous it would be, and they would jump and suffer agonizing ends. They would then be erased not only from the minds of the humans in the real world, but also from the minds of their fellow characters as well. Even Guardians didn’t remember, though some were able to sense a certain emptiness in some cases._

_Gabe and Richard had been two of the very “lucky” few to have survived their encounter with the Edge…_

 

* * *

 

The only sounds in the room were Gabe’s broken sobs as he continued to cry against Richard’s naked chest. The human didn’t know what to say, so he kept running his fingers through the angel’s hair and held him close.

They stayed on the floor for a long while, and Richard started to worry that Gabe would never calm down. He kissed the top of his head and whispered, “Hey. Hey, are you with me? Shh…” He shifted and turned Gabe so he lay sideways in his lap. “I got you. I’m right here.”

Gabe shuddered within Richard’s arms. “Don’t leave.” His voice was thick with tears.

“I won’t,” Richard said. He pressed a gentle kiss upon Gabe’s brow. “I promise.”

Gabe raised his head and sought Richard’s lips. The sounds of his screams were faint now, but he just wanted them to stop altogether. “Make them go away. Please,” he begged. He lifted his arm and curled his hand around Richard’s neck, trying to pull his head towards him. “Touch me, make it stop.”

Richard grasped his wrist gently. “No, Sweetie. I can’t do that with you right now, not with you like this.”

Gabe’s face filled with desperation. “Please, Richard! I can’t… I just…” He lowered his face to Richard’s chest once more and heaved in a breath. “I can’t.”

“Come on, Gabe. Come with me,” Richard said softly. Keeping his hands on Gabe’s arm and back, he raised them both to their feet slowly, nearly falling in the process since the angel was still weak from crying. He led him to the side of the bed, then sat him down so he could remove all but his underwear before crawling under the bedclothes with him.

He rolled the angel halfway over his chest, nestling his head over his heart. “Listen, Gabe. Hear that? Just listen to that instead.” He ran one hand up and down the angel’s spine soothingly while placing the other against the side of his neck, rubbing his thumb softly along his jaw.

Gabe closed his eyes, focusing on the _thump thump… thump thump_ of Richard’s heartbeat. Ever so slowly, the rhythm pushed away the echoes of his painful memories, and he was lulled into a peaceful trance. He sighed, and if Richard didn’t know better, he would have sworn that the angel upon his chest was asleep.

Richard continued caressing his skin, not stopping until his eyes grew heavy and he drifted off into slumber.

 

* * *

 

Bacon.

He smelled bacon.

Opening one eye, Richard glanced around the room. He was lying on his stomach, arms folded under his pillow. He raised and turned his head.

He was alone.

“Gabe?”

He pushed himself up and looked at the floor, noticing that the angel’s clothes were gone. He slid out of bed and walked out of the room into the hallway towards the stairs and looked down into the foyer. “Gabe?” he called.

He heard footsteps on the wooden floor coming from the room to the right before his boyfriend’s face appeared. “Oh! You’re up! Hungry?”

Richard couldn’t help the relieved sigh that left his mouth. “There you are! I didn’t know where you were!” he said.

Gabe smiled, looked away for a moment, then looked back up at him. “You were worried about me?”

“Of course I was!” Richard said. He huffed, then turned and made his way quickly down the stairs. “You were really out of it for a while last night,” he said when he made it to the bottom and stood in front of the angel. “Are you alright?”

Gabe reached up and placed his hands on Richard’s face. “I’m sorry if I scared you,” he said.

Richard’s brow creased in confusion. Was Gabe… Was he ashamed? “No, Sweetie. You didn’t do anything wrong,” he said. He covered Gabe’s wrists with his hands. “I more than anyone understands what you went through.”

Gabe squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them slowly. “I know. But… this trip is for you, not me. I can handle this. I’ll be O-”

“Gabe!” Richard firmly. He ignored the surprised look on his boyfriend’s face. “You’ve helped me more than you should have these past few months, and I’m guessing you ignored taking care of yourself doing it too.” He gently lowered Gabe’s hands and let them go. “We made a promise to watch out for each other. This right here,” he motioned between them with a finger, “talking about our fears, what hurts us, what bothers us, comforting each other? That’s part of it too.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips against Gabe’s. “You understand me?”

Gabe reached out and wrapped him in his arms. “Thank you, Richard.”

Richard held him tight. “Thank you too, Gabe.” He pulled away and kissed him again. “Now, what are you up to down here?”

Gabe smiled, a smile that reached his eyes, and Richard felt his heart jump at the sight. “Breakfast. I went down to the small grocery store down the street. There wasn’t a lot there, but a lot of the local citizenry still call this place home, and they make weekly runs up to Flagstaff and were more than happy to share what they had. I was surprised at how generous they were.” He then gave Richard a small squeeze. “It looks like more people in this world are just as attached to it as you are, and are happy to call it home.”

“Yeah, I guess it’s not so bad,” Richard said, letting go. He quickly turned and walked towards the kitchen, doing his best to keep his face from showing the stab of guilt that went through him. _Attached, huh?_ , he thought.

Gabe followed behind, not noticing. “They were very friendly, and insisted on giving me enough food to last a day or two.”

Richard entered the kitchen and went to look in the fridge. Like Gabe had said, there was plenty of food to last them until they would most likely head back on the road. He closed the door and noticed fresh bread and pastries arranged on a platter in the middle of the large table next to the window.

“I should say so,” Richard said. He took a glass from a cabinet and filled it up with orange juice from the fridge, then picked up the plate of food on the island that Gabe had prepared for him and sat at the table. “Gonna make me enjoy this feast alone?” he asked.

Gabe sat across from him and plucked a muffin from the platter. “Bon appétit!”

 

* * *

  

Over breakfast, they both talked about what they could do in the small rural town. It was just south of Flagstaff, Arizona, a little place called Kachina Village. They were both thinking inwardly about how they could help the other deal with what they were going through, and Richard wanted his boyfriend to have as peaceful a time as possible, while Gabe wanted Richard to see that he could be free of the boundaries that he had unknowingly set for himself within Las Vegas.

Together, they settled on a walk along one of the many town’s trails. It would be quiet and tranquil, and if they happened upon anyone else, it wouldn’t startle either of them much. Gabe then tidied the kitchen while Richard went upstairs to shower and get dressed for the day.

After he came back down, they headed out towards the nearest path. It was a sunny day, the beams of light catching the golden highlights in their hair. The air was fresh and Gabe couldn’t help but notice how Richard inhaled it, enjoying the sweet scent of the ponderosa pines that surrounded the area. His boyfriend needed this, being out among the trees and seeing the sun unencumbered by large blocky buildings.

They hit the trail and listened to the sounds of their footsteps on the rocks under their feet, their soft breaths, the wind stirring the various shrubs and bushes along the pathway. Every so often they would look at each other’s profiles to check to see how the other was doing. Richard was glad to see that Gabe looked so much more relaxed compared to the previous night.

A sound in the bushes caught their attention and they stopped walking, waiting to see what it was. Richard felt Gabe freeze as a roadrunner darted out, stood in the middle of the path, then continued across, disappearing into the foliage.

“Huh, they’re pretty fast, aren’t they?” Gabe said. He continued walking, but Richard reached out to touch his elbow, making the angel turn to look at him in question. “What?”

“That was a bird.”

Gabe looked at him in confusion. “Yes, that’s the correct term for them last time I checked.” He turned completely around. “You alright?”

Richard stepped forward. “I’m wondering if _you’re_ alright. I thought…” He looked down, not knowing how to phrase his question correctly.

“You thought that it would upset me.”

Richard raised his eyes. “Yeah.”

Gabe sighed and tilted back his head towards the blue sky. “I’m not gonna lie and say that I’m not feeling uneasy right now, but,” he lowered his head and looked into Richards eyes, “I feel safe, knowing that you’re here with me.” He held his gaze and took the human’s hand. “Am I making sense?”

“Complete sense,” Richard said, leaning forward and resting his forehead against his boyfriend’s. “I feel the same too, ya know. Safe.”

They both closed their eyes and just stood there in the middle of the trail for a long while, feeling the slight breeze ruffle through their hair.

“I like this,” Richard said eventually. He put his other hand on Gabe’s hip and pulled him closer. He pressed his lips gently to the angel’s in a soft kiss. “It’s nice.”

Gabe smiled against Richard’s lips. “I do too.” He raised his hand and slid it into Richard’s hair. “Can we go back?” he asked, his tone of voice making Richard tighten his hold on the angel’s hip.

Richard opened his eyes. “Are you sure? Where are you right now in there?” He rubbed his forehead back and forth against Gabe’s softly.

Gabe brought both his arms up and clasped his hands behind Richard’s neck. “I know that I’m all here, and I know that I want to go back and be with you.”

“I want to be with you too, Sweetie, but I’m not sure if you’re in the right headspace right now,” Richard said, voice full of concern. “I won’t take advantage of that. You’re…” He closed his eyes.

“I’m what?” Gabe asked, narrowing his eyes. “Fragile? Messed up? Delicate?” He went to drop his arms, but Richard quickly grabbed them to stop him.

“NO!” he said, snapping his eyes open. “No,” he repeated, voice calmer. “You aren’t any of those things. But I don’t want you-I don’t want _us_ -to use sex as a way to distract ourselves from what what’s going on in our heads.” He looked pleadingly into Gabe’s eyes. “It shouldn’t be used in that way… It’s not _meant_ to be used in that way.”

Gabe felt his eyes sting. “Richard… I didn’t mean… I didn’t realize…” He surged forward and hugged the man to him. “I just want to be close to you! I want to feel as safe as I did in your arms last night as often as possible.” He buried his head in the crook of Richard’s neck. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to insinuate anything else.”

“Oh Sweetie, no no no,” Richard said, wrapping his arms around the angel. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I didn’t mean to accuse you.” He kissed the side of Gabe’s neck, then pulled back to face him. “I guess I’m more worried about you than I thought.”

Gabe gave him a half-smile. “We’re supposed to be having fun on this trip, not acting like a couple of wishywashies.”

“Let’s just add ‘character development’ as part of the trip then, hmm?” Richard said. Gabe laughed softly, and Richard nuzzled his nose. “Say, I’ve an idea: why not from now on, we go to sleep together at night? Regardless of what we do beforehand?”

Gabe’s face brightened. “Really? You mean it?”

“Of course! You said you felt safe last night, and I _do_ kinda like having your sexy self all over me,” he teased. He grinned shrewdly when Gabe scowled at him half-heartedly.

“Thank you, Richard. I’d like that,” Gabe said, his lips curving into a smile before kissing him.

“Welcome, Sweetie.” He looked above them at the sun. “I think it’s about time for food again.”

“Yeah,” Gabe said, following his gaze. “Guess we should head back now. What do you want for lunch?”

“What do _you_ want for lunch?”

Gabe looked into Richard’s face and saw him smirking. “What’s that look for?”

 

* * *

  

“Fuck Gabe! I-I didn’t know you could do that!” Richard threw his head back on the couch, his hands tangled in the angel’s hair.

They were in the living room of the B&B, and had been there ever since returning from the trail. They had attacked each other’s mouths the minute the door closed, and when Richard went to unzip Gabe’s pants, the angel had stopped him and pushed him towards the room onto the couch.

The next thing the human knew, he was sans pants and underwear, and his boyfriend was deep-throating him.

Gabe sucked his lips slowly up Richard’s cock and released him. “I told you, I’m not totally naive. I had a few liaisons here and there.” He flicked his tongue rapidly at the slit of Richard’s cock, licking up the precum. “I’ll suck your brains out through your dick if you’ll let me.” Keeping his eyes locked on his, he engulfed Richard once again, and the human cried out in pleasure.

“AH! Yes! Suck my cock!” he said, pulling Gabe’s hair slightly. He moved his hips up as Gabe started to bob his head. “Mmm... “

Gabe rolled Richard’s testicles in one hand, feeling the pebbly nodules in his fingers. He popped off his lover’s dick and wrapped his other hand around it, pumping it. He then kissed his sac, laving it with his tongue and sucking one side into his mouth.

“Shit! Gabe! Hah hah…” Richard spread his legs, pressing his lower body closer to Gabe’s hands and mouth. “Feels so fucking good…”

The angel trailed his mouth to Richard’s taint, kissing and sucking all along it. He moved his hand on Richard’s spit-slick dick with long, firm strokes the entire time, and when he returned to swallow him once more, the smooth skin of his perineum was covered in red hickies.

“Gabe… Gabe… Gabe…” Richard chanted. This was the best blowjob he’d ever had, and fuck if he wasn’t about to cum already!

Gabe swallowed hard around Richard, feeling his boyfriend’s balls tightening in his palm. He wanted to taste it, wanted to feel it spurting inside his mouth…

Richard pulled roughly at his hair. “Sweetie… I’m gonna…” He arched his back. “U- _Uhhh… Oh FUCK..._!”

Gabe quickly pulled back just enough so his lips were wrapped around the tip of Richard’s cock. He felt his boyfriend’s hot release fill his mouth, and he sucked and swallowed, enjoying how Richard’s cum was salty yet sweet at the same time.

Richard fell against the cushions, nearly out of breath. He half-noticed Gabe cleaning him gently with his tongue then lay his head on his thigh.

“I’ve had my ‘lunch.’ What would you like?” the angel asked innocently.

Richard looked at him with glazed eyes. “You just wait until later, you smartass angel. You’re gonna ride me hard, and I’m gonna put you away wet.”

Gabe quirked his lips. “Looking forward to it.”

 

* * *

  

They spent the night and half the next day in the town. Both learned that they enjoyed the quiet while walking about and looking at the scenery. The townsfolk smiled at them, most recognizing Richard, and asked about where Gabe was from.

When they left in the late afternoon, Gabe offered to drive. Richard was relieved, since he had been so exhausted from that morning’s frolic between the sheets. Gabe had teased him afterwards, pointing out that it wasn’t his fault that Richard was the top and he was the bottom, and an angel to boot. Richard had threatened to spank him, and when Gabe had nearly salivated at the idea, the human had obliged, and they ended up staying in bed an hour longer than they’d meant to.

Though the area they were traveling in was near the Grand Canyon. Gabe purposefully ignored going directly to it, and Richard silently thanked him. They switched cars as they found them because of fuel needs, a plan which they had decided upon in advance prior to leaving Vegas. This ended up bothering Richard more than he had thought it would when they had first discussed it in his hotel room. It reminded him of how empty his world was now.

 

* * *

  

“I want the peanut butter ones!”

“You had those last time! Here, eat these!”

“But I want the peanut butter ones!”

“For crying out- Fine! Here! But I’m eating the next ones we get!”

They were parked on the side of the road, eating the snacks that they had packed. It turned out that Gabe had an affinity for peanut butter, and so far had coveted all the snacks that contained them for himself.

Richard popped a handful of candy-coated chocolate pieces into his mouth. “I mean it,” he said resentfully, watching the angel happily munch away on mini peanut butter cookies. “And when we stock up next, I’m putting names on everything.”

Gabe stuck his tongue out at him. “This is no different than you and your strawberry fetish.” He ducked when Richard playfully swiped at him with his fist.

“It’s not a fetish!” Richard denied. “Strawberries make me happy,” he pouted, crossing his arms and holding his bag of candy in his fingers.

Gabe sighed, then held out his hand. “I’m just teasing. Here,” he nudged Richard’s arm. “I’ll share.” In his palm sat one of his cookies.

Richard looked down and felt warmth spread across his chest. He unfolded his arms and grasped the angel’s hand and tugged him towards him. “Thank you, Sweetie.” He kissed him gently. “You make me happy too, ya know.”

Gabe pressed his lips back against his boyfriend’s and teased his lips open. He tasted like chocolate and the unique flavor that was all him. “Me too,” he whispered, pulling back.

“How do you make me want you by just kissing me?” Richard moaned. He dropped his candy onto the floor of the car and grasped Gabe’s face. “What is it about you?”

Gabe released Richard’s other hand and placed his own snacks on the dashboard so he could lean Richard back on the seat. “I could ask the same about you,” he purred.

“It’s hot, Sweetie. We can’t do too much right here,” Richard panted, feeling Gabe kiss and nip at his neck. He gripped the back of the angel’s shirt and groaned.

“Definitely hot,” Gabe sighed. He moved his head up and captured Richard’s lips. “I can’t help it. I _have_ had this thing up my ass all day, ya know.”

Richard ran his hand down Gabe’s back then slipped it down his pants and into his underwear. He teased his fingers between the cleft of his ass, searching. Gabe moaned against his lips and turned his head to the side.

“Is it that bad, Sweetie? I thought you liked being full of me?” Richard whispered into his ear. He pushed himself up with his other arm, then slid his hand down further until he neared the angel’s hole. He smiled when he touched the hard object that stretched it. “Doesn’t it feel good?” He tapped it and Gabe shuddered.

“Yesss,” Gabe hissed. He ground his hips against Richard’s. “I just… Uhhh…”

Richard circled Gabe’s hole with his finger. “You’re not gonna need _any_ prep when I fuck you next. Wonder how much you can hold up in there, hmm?”

“Dammit Richard… I won’t be able to stop touching you if you keep talking like that…”

Richard slipped his hands out of Gabe’s pants. “Sorry, Babe. Like I said, you do things to me.”

Gabe leaned his head on Richard’s chest. “I can’t drive like this,” he rasped, pressing his hardness against Richard’s thigh. “I’m too wound up.”

“Hey, remember?” Richard smiled and licked his lips seductively when Gabe looked up at him. “I’ve got you.”

Twenty minutes later they were on the road again, Gabe smiling and sated, Richard eating the rest of the angel’s cookies with a very self-satisfied grin on his face.

“Thanks, babe.”

Gabe gazed fondly at him. “You’re welcome.”

Babe. He had called him babe. He leaned back in his seat and sighed.

He liked it.

 

* * *

  

They traveled in this fashion for the next few weeks, stopping only in small towns and ignoring large municipalities. As promised, Richard kept an eye out for any and all signs of unusual tourist attractions. They were in eastern Arizona when they came upon a place that caught both their interests.

“Petrified Forest National Park, huh?” Gabe said, seeing the sign coming up on the side of the interstate. He pursed his lips. “Does that mean it’s scared?” He looked at Richard and waggled his eyebrows. “Stoned?” He lifted a hand and mimicked smoking a joint.

Richard rolled his eyes. “Please don’t get in the habit of dad jokes; they look awful on you.”

Laughing, Gabe took the first exit towards the park. When they entered, they were surprised to see that they were actually entering an area called The Painted Desert. They drove slowly, admiring the bands of colors in the rocks.

It was quiet in the car, and Gabe unconsciously reached out and laid his hand upon Richard’s. Richard looked down and smiled softly before turning his hand over and entwining their fingers.

“It’s pretty, isn’t it?” he said, moving his gaze back to the window.

Gabe hummed. “It is. I didn’t know that all this was here.” He turned his head slightly to the right. “Are you having a good time? On the trip, I mean.”

Richard squeezed his hand. “More than I thought I’d be. Every morning, I feel...” He looked down at their fingers. “I feel like everything is going to be OK.”

“That’s good, Richard.” Gabe felt a bit of tension in his chest ease at his boyfriend’s words. “I’m so glad to hear you say that.”

“And you?” Richard asked. “Are you good?”

Gabe moved and turned the steering wheel slightly to follow a curve of the road. “I’m feeling a lot better since that first night, if that’s what you’re asking.” He looked over at Richard. “I like being in bed with you every night.”

“Me too,” Richard said. He looked out the windshield suddenly and pointed. “Is that...? Look! I think we found some of those ‘stoners’ you were talking about!”

Gabe chuckled, half-way relieved. Yep, the conversation _was_ getting a little too intimate wasn’t it?

 

* * *

  

Their short run of peace and tranquility came to a halt halfway through Texas. It was late evening when they came upon a sign stating that they had entered the community of Loraine. Almost immediately, both Gabe and Richard felt a cloak of negative emotions settle over their minds. They darted wary glances at one another, confirming that each had experienced the same phenomenon.

“What _is_ that?” Richard asked, looking out the window. “Is there some character from a horror movie lurking about out there and making itself at home?”

Gabe looked out his own window, seeing how the people who lived in the houses that lined the street were looking out at them from their doorways suspiciously. The locals they had met in previous towns had been more than friendly; these people seemed to have already made up their minds about him and his boyfriend without even meeting them first.

“I’m not really sure, Richard.”

They drove further into the town, noticing that every house that appeared to be vacant was boarded up. It wasn’t until they were almost exiting the town that they discovered a house set in an empty lot. Richard was relieved; he was exhausted from traveling.

Gabe was hesitant to stop for long. The eyes of the people he had seen watching them as they drove down the road reminded him of the cook’s back in Las Vegas. They were dead, dull eyes, eyes that had lost all hope, eyes that had given up. The entire town was this way, and whatever was going on was stronger here than in Vegas, and Gabe and Richard were already suffering from its effects.

“We should probably just rest for a short while, not all night,” he said, watching his boyfriend flop on the bed that the angel had cleared of dust with a light touch of his grace. “I really don’t like this place.”

Richard rolled over onto his side. “I don’t like it either, but surely it won’t hurt to sleep for a few hours, will it? I really need to just stretch out. It’s cramped sleeping in the car.” He moved to his back and spread his arms and legs out, sighing. “I wish we’d thought ahead when picking out what we’d ride in.”

“You picked the car this time,” Gabe said, smiling softly. He went along with everything Richard wanted so that he wouldn’t change his mind on the trip, even if it seemed impractical. “And I don’t mind driving still.”

Richard scooted to the side and patted the bed next to him. “I know, and I thank you as often as I can,” he winked. “Come on, just a few hours? Please? I promise I won’t complain at all once we’re back on the road.” He gave his boyfriend such a pitiful look that Gabe snorted in amusement as he shook his head and climbed into bed next to him.

“Fine, but ONLY for a few hours,” he said, leaning over him and pecking him on the lips. He laid his head on Richard’s chest and sighed as they both wrapped their arms around each other, trying to draw as much comfort as he could to quell his uneasiness. “Enjoy your nap.”

Richard kissed the top of his head. “I’ll try.”

Gabe laid there, listening to Richard’s breathing even out into the familiar pattern of sleep. He then tried to let himself ease into the trance he always sought at night, but the veil of gloominess clouding his thoughts warred with the comforting rhythm of Richard’s heartbeat in his ear.

He started to fear that the flashbacks he had kept at bay for weeks would return. He turned his head, shivering at the thought. He strained his ears, wanting to hear just his boyfriend’s heartbeat. If only he could hear that, and ignore these oppressive feelings bearing down on him…

“Hey, Sweetie… Hey, hey.” He felt gentle hands and fingers caress his face. “Open your eyes. Look at me.” Gabe looked up and saw Richard staring worriedly at him. “What is it? Are you OK?”

“Go back to sleep,” Gabe said. He winced as his voice croaked out every word.

Richard frowned and pushed himself up, using an arm to pull Gabe against him. “Don’t lie to me, Gabe.”

“I said I’m fine, Richard. Rest.”

Richard started to roll them over so Gabe could sit up as well, but the angel stopped him. Richard huffed in frustration. “You’re not fine, Gabe. Let’s go.”

“I am, and you’re still tired. You’ve only been sleeping for half an hour or so. Get a little more rest, and I’ll wake you.” He tried to stop his hands from shaking as he placed them over Richard’s arm but failed, and the human stared at him.

“Nope, we’re getting the hell out of here. I’m gonna take this blanket and I should be OK to sleep in the car. I should’ve listened to you. I’m sorry.” He released Gabe and went to get out of the bed on the other side.

“Richard! Stop!”

Richard stood from the bed and rounded on Gabe. “I SAID I'LL BE OK!"

Gabe cowered at Richard’s shout, whimpering. It was too much.

Richard covered his mouth with his hands, startled at his behavior. It was apparent that neither of them were in good shape. “Oh shit, Gabe…” He knelt on the bed and slowly lay a hand on Gabe’s knee. “I’m sorry…”

Gabe grasped his hand. “It’s not your fault. It’s this place.” He looked around. “It’s… It’s _wrong._ ”

Richard grabbed Gabe’s other hand and pulled him off the bed. “Let’s get out of here.”

They quickly gathered what they had brought inside, but as soon as they exited the house, they both felt a huge wave of negativity plow over them. Everything in their hands fell to the ground as they staggered and waved their arms to keep their balance. It was all they could do to keep their feet under them.

“I-I don’t think it’s safe to drive,” Gabe gasped.

“We’ll walk,” Richard said.

“What about the car?”

“We’ll find another one once we’re OK.”

 

* * *

  

It took them until nearly dawn to exit the town limits. Richard lost count of how many times he stumbled and fell, but Gabe was there to help him to his feet each time. They were both hoping that whatever was blanketing the town would lift as soon as they left the town’s borders, but they were dashed when it remained.

“Is this how it’s going to be for the rest of the trip?” Richard gasped. He had thrown an arm around Gabe’s shoulder and was leaning on him for support as they walked. He was feeling so heavy...

“I don’t know,” Gabe replied. He had noticed that Richard was being affected more and more, and it worried him. He looked into the distance and saw the sun peeking over the horizon. “Are you wanting to keep going once we find another vehicle, or do you want to go back to Vegas?”

Richard mumbled.

“What?”

Richard mumbled once more.

“I can’t understand you, Richard.” Gabe turned his head, then stopped. “Richard!” The human’s eyes were glazed over, and he was breathing shallowly. He swooped down and picked him up, grunting. “Hey, talk to me! Richard!”

Richard looked straight through him, not responding. Gabe quickly looked around, trying not to panic. The sun was halfway over the horizon, and he knew it would start to heat up quickly. They needed shade.

He increased his pace as much as he could, cursing this world for the shit that was going on with it. He kept his eyes peeled for anything that would give them shelter. The sun rose higher, and the temperature increased steadily.

He sighed with relief when a rusty silo came into view. He headed straight towards it, then went to sit directly underneath it. It was at least fifteen degrees cooler in its shade. He laid Richard onto wrinkled empty grain bags, then checked his pulse. It was strong, but faint.

“Richard!” he said, patting the side of the human’s face. “Come on! Stay with me!” He looked about desperately.

Water. He needed water. But where?

He cursed once more, then looked up. “What the FUCK is going on with you?! Don’t you see that things are getting WORSE?! What are you DOING?!”

“I’m doing what I can.”

Gabe jumped at the voice, then discovered that he was no longer sitting under a silo in Texas, but in the Guardian’s temple again. He looked to his side, seeing that Richard was there as well, though he was still staring at nothing. He turned as he heard footsteps behind him.

“My sister and I are working to find out what’s going on,” the Guardian said calmly. When he reached them, he kneeled down and placed his hand over Richard’s eyes, closing them. A pulse of light lit up the human’s face, then faded. “He’ll sleep for now.”

He stood back up. “Despite what you think, I’ve been keeping a watch on everything, especially on you two. My sister would have my proverbial hide if I let something happen to you.”

Gabe smirked. That definitely sounded like the Boss. “You said you two are working on finding out what’s going on?” he asked, going back to the subject at hand.

“We’ve a good idea already,” B said, going to his desk and sitting down. “It seems to be focusing on the portals, especially the Fourth Wall. She came up with the idea of opening a tiny transference portal just on the inside of the Wall. It was barely there for a millisecond before she snapped it closed.” His face grew tense.

“What was it? What did she find?” Gabe asked. The silence was ominous as he waited for the Guardian to continue.

“She told me that she had felt it before, the energy that nearly exploded through the portal. She had only encountered it once in her life, when she had to rescue one of her charges from its grasp.” He ran a hand down his face. “It’s Odium energy.”

“O-Odium energy? But that’s only found…” He trailed off. Him! The Boss had been talking about him!

“Correct, and how it’s gotten out from _there_ is baffling. It would take an extremely bizarre set of circumstances for that to occur, so bizarre that we’re not even sure they exist! We’re just Guardians, not humans who can use the actual power of the Ether!”

“So what will you do?” Gabe asked. He heard Richard sigh and shift in his sleep, and went to hold him against his side. “What _can_ you do?”

“At the moment, we decided our best course of action is to go on lock down.” He smiled sadly when Gabe’s face fell.

“B-But what about everyone who’s traveling?! Everyone’s who’s on Earth meeting their performers?!” He found himself trying not to panic. “It's hiatus season for most of the world!"

"Which just began; for now we'll take what little luck we can get. The rest we'll have to deal with as it happens," the Guardian said.

“I’ve friends on Earth! What if they need to come back? One of them just got over being extremely ill here! If he needs to see the Boss again and can’t come back, he could be in trouble! Does she not realize that?” Gabe was starting to get himself riled up, feeling fear welling inside him.

“We’re not even sure if this goes both ways yet. This is the best we can do, Gabe.” B ran his hands through his hair and it stood up wildly about his head. “It’s not done lightly. There’s no precedent for this situation.” He laid his hands on his desk. “ _Please_ try to understand.”

“I do… I just…” Gabe sighed. “It’s a lot to take in, all at once.”

B shrugged. “You asked, you got your answer.”

“Thanks,” Gabe said sarcastically. He looked down at Richard and saw that he was still sleeping soundly. “And thanks for helping him too.”

"You can’t tell him.”

The statement brought Gabe up short, not expecting the Guardian’s words. "Why?!" he demanded as he looked up and glared.

B sighed. "There doesn’t need to be any unnecessary panic. You’re not even from this world, and look how you reacted. Just imagine how bad it’ll be if he finds out.”

Gabe wrapped his arms tightly around Richard. "But he's just started to trust me! I can't-"

"If you don't I'll have to send you back,” the Guardian said firmly, narrowing his eyes and staring straight into Gabe’s horrified face. "I can't risk it, even if I end up breaking a promise to my sister."

Gabe took a hand and carded it through Richard’s hair. "But he needs me,” he whispered.

"Then please, make the right decision for both of you," the Guardian said.

Before Gabe could respond, he was sitting behind the wheel of a four-door pickup truck in another town, Richard in the seat next to him. He stared for a second, then quickly leaned over and checked over his boyfriend. He seemed fine, no sign of what had happened earlier at all. He looked at the backseat and discovered that it was full of fresh supplies to continue their trip.

He looked back out the windshield and discovered that it was dusk. He also realized that the area surrounding them was free of the effects of the Odium.

“I know that you’re doing your best to bribe me,” he said snarkily, looking at the deepening pinks, golds and russets that spread across the sky. “But that’s not the reason I’m agreeing to your terms.”

He looked over at his boyfriend once again and reached over to brush a lock of hair from his face.

"I'm sorry Richard,” he said softly. “I hope you’ll understand and forgive me.”


	7. The Only Exception

 

 

 

Gabe drove up to a small cottage in the town of Wimberly, just outside of Austin. It was still dark out, and he didn’t want to wake Richard. He looked around at the trees and manicured lawn that surrounded the property. He figured this would be a nice place to stay for at least a few days so they could clear their heads after their ordeal in Loraine.

He slowly cracked open his window and heard the sound of crickets, and it calmed him. He then leaned his head against the glass and felt a cool breeze ruffle his hair. He was still feeling troubled concerning his talk with B. He knew that he had made the right decision, but keeping it from Richard made him uneasy. When his boyfriend inevitably found out, he wouldn’t take it well at all.

He sighed and folded his arms against his abdomen. Why did the Guardian have to make things so difficult? He was supposed to help! He looked up towards the sky and scowled. The stars twinkled at him, and he wanted them to stop. It didn’t fit his mood.

He dropped his gaze and looked at the trees as the wind rustled their branches back and forth, and he focused on their movements. He used that and the sounds of the night to help him pass the time until dawn.

 

* * *

  

Richard rolled over and bumped his head. He frowned and moved away and found his actions impeded by something on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and discovered that he was sitting in an unfamiliar vehicle. He froze for a second, then turned his head and breathed out in relief when he saw Gabe sitting in the driver’s seat next to him.

“Hey,” he said, trying to get his attention.

Gabe turned from where he had been staring out the window. “Hey,” he said, smiling softly. “Was wondering when you’d wake up. Feel alright?”

Richard looked confused. “I guess so. But,” he looked around him, “where are we? Where did this truck come from?”

Gabe looked trouble for a moment. “You passed out right outside the town. I had to carry you for a short while.” He reached out and touched Richard’s shoulder when the human’s face fell. “It’s OK, I was able to find somewhere to keep an eye on you.” He hesitated for a moment, then smiled. “It was like this just fell from the sky and landed in our path to be honest.” He patted the steering wheel.

“I see,” Richard said, eyeing him. He wanted to ask more, but his boyfriend looked stressed, strained. He wondered if all of this had taken a bigger toll on him than he was letting on. He glanced behind him at the bags of snacks and other supplies and whistled. “Did you happen to find an abandoned gas station too?”

Gabe followed his gaze and laughed. “Let’s just say that a lot happened while you were out.” He took Richard’s hand and held it. “I’m just so glad that you’re OK, Richard.” He looked into Richard’s eyes when he turned his head back to him. “So glad.”

“I’m glad you’re OK too, Sweetie.” He leaned forward and kissed him. “You didn’t answer my question though.”

“What?” Gabe said, looking worried.

“Where are we exactly?”

“Oh!” Gabe said, turning towards the front of the truck. “Outside Austin.”

“Austin?! You drove that far? How long did I sleep?” Richard asked, surprised. He took off his seatbelt and jumped out of the vehicle, looking around the yard. “I must’ve been dead to the world.”

Gabe also exited the truck and came to his side. “Yeah, you were. I just let you rest.” He wrapped an arm around his waist. “So, this place look OK to you for a few days?”

Richard leaned against him. “Better than OK.”

“Great! Let’s head inside then!”

They grabbed a few things from the backseat and trooped into the cottage, taking in its decor. It was small, just one bedroom and one fair-sized bath. It had a kitchen that looked out into a den and a small deck off a tiny kitchen nook tucked into a corner of the kitchen itself.

Richard took their things into the bedroom, saying over his shoulder, “I need a shower. Be back in a jiff.” Gabe nodded, watching him walk down the hallway.

He then made his way to the kitchen, opening the fridge. He sighed when he saw that it was well-stocked. He rolled his eyes towards the cottage’s ceiling. “Still trying to stay on my good side it seems,” he muttered.

He went about making breakfast, as he always did in the mornings. He fried up bacon, scrambled eggs, and made toast. He looked around the cabinets and couldn’t help but smile when he found a jar of strawberry jam.

He had just finished squeezing the last orange for juice when he heard Richard walking into the kitchen. He turned and caught his breath, seeing Richard in a white bathrobe, his hair still damp from the shower.

Richard looked at the food on the table, then at Gabe. “Where did all this come from? Did you go out?”

“It was already here.”

“Huh. That’s strange.” He went to sit down at the table and filled his plate. “I don’t see anything that you’ll eat. Taking a day off?”

Gabe walked over and put the pitcher of juice next to the empty glasses. “Nah, just in the mood for something different.” He sat opposite his boyfriend and spread jam on a piece of toast. He took a bite. “Well,” he said after chewing and swallowing, “not too different.”

Richard rolled his eyes and poured himself a glass of orange juice. “I should’ve known.” He set the pitcher down. “Wonder why this was already here. It’s like it was all set up just for us.”

Gabe wanted to tell him the truth, wanted to tell him so bad he could taste it, which made the food in his mouth hard to swallow. Was B testing him? “Perhaps they took off? Had an emergency? There’s lots of shit going on, and the place was unlocked, so it’s probably safe to assume that they weren’t worried about anything left here.”

“You’ve a point,” Richard said, tapping his fork on his plate. “Well, if they DO come back, we’ll just have to leave and find somewhere else, right?” Richard ate for a moment. “I’m guessing if they do, it won’t be too bad. That… stuff… isn’t in the air here.”

Gabe nodded, cursing the Guardian inwardly. “True. I haven’t noticed it here at all.”

They finished their meal, and Richard insisted on washing the dishes. Gabe investigated the rest of the cottage, mostly because he was fighting the urge to just come clean with his boyfriend. But everytime he would head in his direction, determined to make things right, the Guardian’s threat of ripping them apart resounded in his head, and he would stop and start wandering once more.

Richard’s voice broke his rovings. “Hey! Look what I found! Wanna play?” Gabe turned and saw him holding up a pack of playing cards. “Bet I’ll kick your ass!”

The angel looked between Richard’s face and the box in his hand. “Play what?” he asked.

“Poker of course!” he said, his tone full of mischief.

“I dunno,” Gabe said. He really wasn’t in the mood.

Richard frowned. “What’s wrong?” He set the cards on a table nearby. “Are you still feeling a bit off from yesterday?”

“A bit, yeah.” Gabe sighed. Well, at least _that_ was the truth!

“Well, come on then! Let’s play and get your mind off of it, huh? We can use snacks to bet with!” Richard grabbed his hand then plucked the cards back up. “It’ll be fun!” he promised.

Gabe was dragged along behind him, and his boyfriend’s enthusiasm made him smile. This person was the reason he was staying here for, and if he had to suffer because of that decision so that he would be happy, then so be it.

He ignored the little warning twinge in his heart.

 

* * *

  

“OK, I fold! And no more! If I keep going, I won’t have anything left!” Gabe whined, throwing his cards on the table.

Richard rubbed his hands together before cupping them around the pile of sugary goodness between them. “Mine! All mine!” he chortled. He had won most of the bets from their two hours’ worth of poker games, and Gabe’s “snack chips” had dwindled considerably. “This should last me a long while!”

“I hope you enjoy them!” Gabe pouted. He scooped his own candy and cookies into a bag and held it protectively against him. “I’m gonna get more when we go visit the town.”

“We should plan to do that as soon as possible,” Richard said, stowing his “winnings” into a bag of his own. He looked out the large window that overlooked the deck. It was already well after noon. “Say, remember going to the casino the first time we met?”

Gabe snorted. “Yeah. I had to carry you then too.”

They got quiet for a moment, remembering the reason _why_ Gabe had to carry him.

“I never really thanked you for that,” Richard said. He held his hand out, and Gabe immediately took it. “I’m sorry.”

“You’ve nothing to be sorry for, Richard. I understand now. You weren’t yourself then.” He caressed the inside of Richard’s palm. “I see the real you now. I know the real you.”

Richard’s eyes became wet. “Gabe…”

Gabe stood and came around the table, then sat in Richard’s lap. Richard wrapped his arms around his waist. “No crying. We’re here to rest, remember?” He kissed him gently. “Right?” He kissed him again.

Richard pulled him close. “Thank you.” He buried his head in the angel’s chest.

“You already thanked me,” Gabe said.

“Don’t care.”

 

* * *

  

They went to bed early that night. Richard was still exhausted, and reached for Gabe to pull him to his chest. He played with hair and ran his hands up and down his back as he fell asleep.

Gabe closed his eyes and sighed in contentment. This is where he wanted to be each night, hearing the heartbeat of the man he-

He opened his eyes. The man he what? Protected? Looked after? Took care of? He inhaled the smell of Richard’s skin, the scent that was now so familiar to him that he’d be able to pick it out from a crowd of hundreds of people.

What was this?

He felt and heard Richard breathe in deeply, and Gabe held him tighter with his arms. He didn’t want to let him go. He belonged here. Yes, he belonged here! He had made the right choice, just like the Guardian had told him to make.

He felt better about that, had felt better since his and Richard’s poker game, in fact. However, at present he was feeling conflicted about something else, and he didn’t know what it was.

He wanted to talk to HIS Guardian now, but he had no way of doing so.

He sighed. The only person he _could_ talk to was who he wanted to talk about.

And where was Gabriel when he needed him?

 

* * *

  

The next morning, they decided over breakfast to go exploring. They went driving and found signs for a park nearby that had nature trails. Richard spoke up when he saw Gabe head in their direction.

“Babe, we don’t have to go there. We can find something else to do,” he said gently, laying a hand on his knee.

“If you want to go, we’ll go,” Gabe said. He covered Richard’s hand with one of his. “If I need you, you’ll be there, right?” He looked at him from the corner of his eye and smiled.

Richard squeezed his thigh. “Of course. I’ve always got you.”

“I know you do.”

They parked in a lot and walked to the start of a trail that passed under the shade of oak, elm, and maple trees. A few pecan trees were also dotted along the path. They walked side by side, holding hands and enjoying the quiet. Even though they could hear bird song, they didn’t see them, which made Richard feel happy for Gabe.

They were delighted to come upon what appeared to be a large swimming hole. Large cypress trees surrounded it, and since the weather had started to become rather warm, they decided to wade in. They kicked off their shoes and socks before rolling their pants legs up to their knees and walking out into the water.

“Wow, it’s cooler than I thought!” said Richard. He wiggled his toes in the mud. “Too bad we didn’t bring anything to swim in!”

“Who says that we needed to?” Gabe said. He turned and winked at his boyfriend.

“Really?” Richard said.

“Why not? We’re the only ones here.”

Shortly after, all their clothes were piled on the grassy beach and they were skinny dipping. Richard kept trying to dunk Gabe, but the angel was too fast for him. They laughed and chased one another all over the water, hiding behind the trees that had grown closer inside the water’s edge.

Gabe came up behind Richard and wrapped his arms around him. “Gotcha!” he said, kissing him on the neck. He yelped when he was swung around and Richard crashed his lips to his.

The kiss turned hot and filthy quickly, and Gabe felt Richard’s aroused cock press against his stomach. He moaned into his mouth and felt himself harden. “Richard…” he panted when the human released his lips.

“Want you,” Richard breathed. “Now…”

They made their way to shore and Richard spread out Gabe’s jacket so the angel could lie upon it. “Legs,” he gasped.

Gabe dutifully spread his legs, and Richard immediately slapped his hand against the dark blue plug that was firmly inserted in the angel’s hole. Gabe threw his head back and cried out, “Ah!”

“Feel good? Are you still full of the cum I shot you full of two days ago?” Richard grasped the base of the plug and twisted it, and Gabe keened.

“Yes! Yes, Sir! I am! I never take it out!” Gabe spread his legs wider. Oh how he loved it when Richard talked to him this way. He loved playing with his boyfriend.

“That’s a good baby boy,” Richard purred. He leaned down and licked his tongue around the angel’s stretched entrance. “I’m gonna fill you up some more. Would you like that?”

“Yes, Sir! I wanna hold all that I can! Please!” Gabe begged. His cock was dripping already. He needed to be fucked, and fucked hard.

“Are you my little cumslut? You want my cum?” Richard said. He teased his tongue up and down along Gabe’s taint. “Want to hear it as I pound my cock into you?”

Gabe moaned. “Want your cock in me filling me with more, Sir. Until it overflows-AH!”

Richard slapped the inside of Gabe’s thigh. “Do what, baby boy? You want to waste my cum? Where is my cum supposed to go?!” He smacked him several more times hard in succession. “Where?!”

Gabe tossed his head. “In my hole! My wet sloppy hole! I’m sorry, Sir! I’m sorry!”

Richard reached up and gathered the fluids that had leaked from Gabe’s cock, then rubbed them gently onto the flesh he had touched with his hands. Naturally it wasn’t hurt, but it was part of their play. “Sir will take care of you, baby boy.”

Gabe moaned. “Your baby boy knows, Sir. Thank you,” he sighed. His breathing increased when Richard started to thrust the plug inside of him rapidly. “S-Sir! Yes! Please!”

Richard ran the plug firmly against Gabe’s prostate, twisting the plug and stretching Gabe just a little more. “I’m gonna fuck you so good, baby boy. Two days without being inside you is two days too long.” He released the plug then patted the inside of the angel’s thighs. “Ass up for me.”

Gabe eagery rolled over and leaned forward on his elbows, holding his ass towards Richard. Richard grabbed the globes in front of him and squeezed them in his hands. “Such a beautiful ass. Love plowing this ass.” He lowered his head and bit one of the cheeks. “ _My_ ass.”

Gabe tossed his head. “Yes, Sir! Your ass!” he shouted. He was about to go out of his mind.

Richard moved forward and spread Gabe open. “Part those legs, baby boy. Let me see you.” He waited for the angel to do as he was told, then maneuvered his hips up slightly. “Clench that hole as much as you can when I take your toy out. Keep my cum in you.”

“Yes, Sir,” moaned Gabe. He bit his lip as he felt the plug slide slowly out of his ass. “Oh! Oh, Sir!”

The plug slithered out with a wet _plop!_ and Richard laid it on Gabe’s underwear. He looked at the wide opening in front of him, seeing that Gabe was indeed clenching to keep the cum that was still inside of him from trickling out.

“Such a good boy,” Richard praised. He pressed his lips to Gabe’s rim and kissed it, and the angel jumped. “So good to me.”

“Th-Thank you, Sir,” Gabe rasped.

Richard then pulled himself up straight, gripping Gabe’s hips as he flexed his own forwards. He then slid himself hard to the hilt inside of Gabe with one thrust, grunting loudly. He smiled as he heard Gabe cry out. “Yes, baby boy, yes! Let me hear you! Let me hear you as I fuck you.” He pulled back and slammed into him, and Gabe had to throw an arm out in front of him, fingers digging into the grass to keep from falling over onto his face. “Gonna fuck you into the ground!”

“AH! AH!” Gabe shouted. “AH!” He was being jostled forcefully from behind, and he was loving it. There was nothing like Richard when he was like this, pounding into him with abandon. It felt so fucking good!

“Damn, how are you so tight all the time, baby boy? It’s like my first time inside you. I’ll never get enough!” Richard pulled Gabe back onto him as he thrust into him, and the _Slap! Slap! Slap!_ of their skin echoed across the water behind them. “Fuck I love doing this to you.”

“Me too, Sir! I-I love it! Oh! OH!”

Richard then pulled Gabe up to his hands and knees so he could cover his back, changing his angle and zeroing in on that delicious place inside him. “Oh there! Oh THERE! _OH SIR!_ ” Gabe wailed.

“I feel my cum around my dick inside you, baby boy! Gonna give you more. Gonna keep you full of it. Don’t you dare let it out until I say! I wanna see it drip from you. Understand?” Richard increased his pace, and Gabe cried out as he nodded. “That’s my baby boy.”

Gabe squeezed his eyes shut. He was longing for release. He knew that he would do so without being touched at this rate. “Sir, please! PLEASE!” he begged.

“My little cumslut need to cum? Hmm?” Richard nipped at the back of Gabe’s neck. “Hmm?”

Gabe tossed his head. “Yes! Please, Sir! So close!”

“Then cum, baby boy.”

“A-A-AHHH!” Gabe screamed. His release flew from him, striping his jacket, his cock pulsing uncontrollably, his channel squeezing Richard’s still pistoning cock inside him.

Richard fucked him harshly through it, digging his fingers into the angel’s hips as he went over. He rutted against him, filling him and mixing his seed with the other deposits of semen he had left inside the angel. He’d let Gabe drain himself before their next tryst, but for now, he wanted the satisfaction of knowing he had just fucked his boyfriend full and senseless once more.

God, he loved doing this with him. He was perfect.

He fell on top of Gabe and they both collapsed. Gabe didn’t care that he was lying in his own wet spot-he was just content to have the familiar weight and warmth of Richard on his back.

They caught their breath throughout their afterglow. Richard then touched and caressed his skin, kissing and praising him. Throughout it all, they both listened to the wind, the drone of bees, the birds singing, felt the sun on their skin.

“I like this,” Richard murmured. “So different from the city."

Gabe folded his arms and lay his head on them. “Hmm, it is.”

“"I'm glad to be here with you, Sweetie.” Richard kissed the side of Gabe’s neck, and the angel sighed happily.

“Me too.”

"Thanks for suggesting this. I needed it."

Gabe turned his head and looked over his shoulder at his boyfriend. “You don’t have to thank me, Richard. I wanted to go with you.”

"No, I mean,” Richard leaned forward so he could lay his head on Gabe’s shoulder and look into his face directly. “I _do_ thank you for that. But I also, well… I always need that... with you."

Gabe smiled softly when he realized what Richard was trying to say. "With me, huh?"

Richard brought a hand up to grasp the back of Gabe’s head and brought their faces closer together. They then kissed each other deeply.

"With you,” Richard whispered.

 

* * *

  

After lazing in the sun for a short while, Richard put Gabe’s toy back in its accustomed place. He then rolled his boyfriend onto his side and cuddled next to him, tucking his head under the angel’s. “Can we stay here for a while?” he yawned.

Gabe threw an arm over his side. “Right here? You might burn if you fall asleep.”

“No, not right here specifically. In this place. The cottage. The town. Longer than just a few days.” Richard tilted his head and kissed Gabe under his chin. “I’m tired of being on the road.”

Gabe rubbed circles on his boyfriend’s skin, feeling the last of the sweat from their coupling drying beneath his fingers. “Actually, I was going to ask if you had wanted to head back.”

Richard raised himself up so he could look into Gabe’s face. “Head back? You mean to Vegas?”

“Yeah. What happened was pretty bad, and it could happen again for all we know.” He pulled Richard closer. “It was awful, Richard.” _I can’t see you like that again_ , he thought.

Richard wound an arm around Gabe and held him, trying to calm the distressed angel. “I know, Sweetie. I know. But we can just avoid places like that, right? Just turn around when that… stuff starts to hit us?” He put a reassuring smile on his face and kissed him softly. “That would work, right?”

Gabe closed his eyes and nodded. “Yeah, but… but I don’t want…”

“Gabe,” Richard said firmly. Gabe opened his eyes. “Don’t worry. Our promise we made, remember?”

Promise. Their promise. “Yes, of course,” Gabe said. He sighed and leaned his head against Richard’s. “OK, we’ll keep going, if that’s what you want.”

Richard’s brows furrowed for a moment. “Gabe, what is it? I wasn’t going to ask earlier, but did something else happen while I was out?”

Gabe’s hand curled into a fist on Richard’s back. “It’s… it was just a lot to go through, Richard. I’m still dealing with it.”

“You can talk to me. I’ll listen.”

He wanted to, oh he wanted to! But the man beside him, underneath the midday sun, looking at him, _needing_ him to get through each day…

He would be shattered if he were torn away, that spark of life in his eyes would be extinguished forever, and he’d be back in his room at that hotel, draining bottle after bottle, and he’d be-

He grit his teeth. No! Richard had worked too hard. Gabe would carry his weight from now on, even if it pained him.

“Gabe?”

Gabe fought to keep his face from showing what he was feeling. “I know you’ll listen, Richard. And I’m thankful for that. I just need time, too. Staying here for a while, as long as you want, is what we both need.”

Richard nodded. He wouldn’t push him. “OK, and the trip is still a go?”

Gabe smiled, glad that Richard had stopped his questioning. “We’ll go when we’re _both_ ready.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Richard said. He threw himself on top of his boyfriend and kissed him soundly. “I’ve also plans to keep you in bed as much as possible while we’re here,” he said, wanting to change the mood. “Is that OK too?”

Gabe gasped against his mouth. “More than,” he said, then crushed Richard’s body against his.

 

* * *

 

They returned back to the cottage shorty after, spending an hour in the shower together. They then skipped lunch to spend even longer in the bedroom. By the time they were both seated for dinner it was after sunset and well into evening.

Richard’s skin was covered in small red bruises, and he pouted playfully. “It’s not fair that you don’t get marked up like me,” he said, sticking his tongue out at Gabe. “You’d look so hot with these all over your neck.” He pointed at the handful of large hickies that adorned the right side of his own neck.

Gabe shrugged. “Not my fault,” he said, then took a drink of his iced tea. “I could try to get my grace to let them appear though, if that would satisfy you,” he mused.

Richard’s pupils dilated. “I would sink my TEETH into you if you could do that.” He licked his lips. “We need to try that next time.”

Gabe snorted. “You are insatiable.”

“Look who’s talking, Mr. Multiple Man.”

“You made me do it.”

“True, I do ‘do’ you pretty good, don’t I?”

“Perv.”

“Screamer.”

Gabe threw his head back and laughed. “If I were a human I wouldn’t be able to walk, you know that?”

Richard preened. “What can I say? I am a master at my craft.”

“And so modest,” Gabe said, winking at him.

“And that’s why you lo-” Richard cut himself off, shocked at what he had been about to say.

“Why I what?” Gabe asked, oblivious to Richard’s discomfort.

Richard turned his head away. “Uh…’ He drummed his fingers on the table. “Well, fuck, this just got awkward, didn’t it?” He raised his hand and tapped his fingers against his mouth.

“Richard?” Gabe asked, trying to understand what was bothering him.

Richard looked at him from the side of his eye. Had he really not noticed? “You don’t have to play dumb about it.”

“What? What are you talking about?” Gabe was absolutely confused. Where was this all coming from?

“Well, because…” Richard dropped his head into his hands, trying to keep himself from falling apart, feeling rejected. “UGH! This was going so well, and now I’ve been my usual screwed-up self and ruined it!” He stood. “I need to go.” He quickly headed for the door.

Gabe shot to his feet. “Where are you going?! Richard! Please! Talk to me!”

Richard opened the door. “I just need to-” He looked at the angel, his eyes wet with tears. “I really meant it, ya know. This trip… it _was_ what I needed. But,” he sighed and lowered his head, golden-brown locks hiding his face. “I always mess things up. I’m sorry.” He stepped out the door and closed it behind him.

Gabe stood in shock, listening to Richard’s footsteps as he hurriedly walked across the front porch and down the steps. What had just happened? What did he do? Did he say something wrong? Why did he leave?

His eyes widened. Was Richard leaving? No! Richard needed him! _He_ needed him...

He ran to the door and nearly ripped it from its hinges as he opened it. “RICHARD!” he shouted into the night. “RICHARD!”

Richard had made it almost to the outcrop of trees that lined the property, cursing his brain for never censoring his mouth and thus making his life miserable, when he heard the panicked cries of Gabe. He almost kept going. He just needed to think! But Gabe’s voice…

He turned and saw Gabe standing on the front porch, the lights from inside the cottage framing his body.

He looked… ethereal.

“RICHARD!” Gabe shouted once more when he caught sight of him. He went to run, then thought _Fuck it!_ and teleported himself to stand before him.

“GABE!” Richard shouted in alarm when the angel appeared directly in front of him and collapsed in his arms. “Shit! Why the hell did you do that?!” He held him against him, holding him tightly. “Still with me, hon? Answer me!”

“Needed…” Gabe gasped. “Needed… t-to… make… sure… alright...”

“You stupid idiot,” Richard said, half-relieved, half-angrily. He slowly lowered them both to the ground and held Gabe in his lap. “You’re not supposed to do that!”

Gabe sighed and smiled as he looked into Richard’s eyes. “I would do anything for you, Richard,” he said softly, feeling darkness invading the edges of his vision. “I would risk anything for you.”

“What do you mean ‘risk?’ What are you talking about?” Richard asked. He supported the back of the angel’s head as Gabe started to go limp against him. “Gabe!”

“I can’t… I can’t say…” Gabe’s words started to slur. “I’m sorry too, Richa…” Gabe’s eyes closed as he gave in to fatigue and fell asleep, his head falling against Richard’s chest heavily.

Richard wrapped both his arms around him, feeling guilt pierce his heart. His pile of increasing screw-ups, mistakes, had started to hurt other people again. No matter what he did, no matter what he tried to do to make himself better, his past always came back to haunt him and ruined his happiness.

“Oh Gabe,” he said, kissing the angel’s temple. “What did you do? Why are you so insistent on helping me?” He rocked him back and forth, trying to understand. “I don't deserve you. I can’t… I won’t…”

He looked up at the stars, but they had no answer to give him. He wondered about this world’s Guardian, but felt the same burning anger that he always did when it came to them.

Gabe shifted in his arms, and he knew that he had to him take inside. “At least you’ll sleep tonight. No fear of flashbacks, right Babe?” he whispered. It took him a short while, not having the same strength as the angel to carry him, but he was finally able to settle Gabe on the couch. He laid beside him, not caring that he was uncomfortable. He listened to his breathing, committing it to memory.

He didn’t leave his side until the sky lightened with the coming of dawn. He resisted the urge to kiss him, not wanting to wake the angel as he stood from the couch. He found a light blanket and draped it over him, then searched and found a pad of paper and a pen.

He took nothing with him after placing the note on the kitchen table. He would get by, on his own. He had done it before, and he would do it again.

It was better this way.

 

* * *

 

Gabe pulled the blanket closer to his body and reached to cuddle closer to his boyfriend-

Who wasn’t there.

He frowned, then opened his eyes to see that he was on the couch in the cottage’s den.

Why was he in here?

He rolled over to his side and sat up, noticing that he was still in his clothes. “Richard?” he called out, looking over the back of the couch. “You up?” He stood, throwing the blanket to the side.

“Richard?” he said again, walking into the kitchen. He should’ve heard a response by now. He turned his head and saw a piece of unfamiliar paper on the table. Curious, he went to go look.

Seeing his name written across the top, he started to read.

 

_Gabe,_

_I’m gone._

 

Gabe dropped the paper to the table. _WHAT?_ He ran throughout the house, checking every room, shouting Richard’s name over and over, but it was true-his boyfriend was nowhere to be found.

Tears pricked his eyes. He’d really gone, even after he had stopped him last night. Why?

The note! There was more written on it!

He hurried back to the kitchen.

 

_I know you’re probably upset right now, and I’m sorry._

_Those two words suck, I know. I also know that because of me being who I am that you’ve had to suffer. I don’t know what it is that you're doing, but whatever it is, STOP. I won’t allow it to go on anymore, even if it means that we have to stop being whatever we are. I want you to be safe and alive, even if I have to be alone._

_Thank you for being there for me. Thank you for these past few months. They’ve been the best of my existence. I’ll never forget them. I promise to keep being the person you’ve helped made me to be._

_And promise to keep being who you are for me too, OK?_

_Richard_

 

Gabe read the letter over and over, tears streaming down his face the entire time. Richard was blaming himself? Why? Why would he do that?

What didn’t he, Gabe, himself not know?

He held the note to his chest. He had to find him! This had to end! All this secrecy, all it had done was hurt both of them!

He glared at the sky through the window. The Guardian would answer for this!

For _everything._

 

* * *

  

Gabe spent the next several days driving around the area in search of Richard. He asked the town residents if they had seen Richard, describing what he had been wearing, what he looked like, anything that would help in finding him. He scouted the various parks, the trails, even went back to the swimming hole where they had made plans their second day in Wimberly.

Each night back at the cottage, he paced the floors, humming to himself and singing the songs that he and Richard had heard at Fremont Street in an effort to keep the flashbacks at bay.

When his efforts proved futile, he decide to start searching beyond the town. He headed east along the main highways, then the least traveled roads. He then turned west, his hopes just about gone.

It was just after sunup when he pulled into the parking lot of a rest area. He had gotten agitated and hopped into the truck at 3 a.m., cursing the Guardian in his head. This was all his fault! Richard had caught on somehow, he must have! And now for some reason that he wished he knew, it had all gone to shit because of it!

He leaned his head on the steering wheel and banged his fists. He just wanted to find him! He needed him! He had so much that he never realized that he hadn’t gotten around to saying! _Why hadn’t he?_

He looked up when he heard the door to the rest stop open and stared in disbelief.

It was Richard.

And he looked like hell.

His shirt was caked with dirt and his hair was matted and snarled, skin red from being out in the sun. He had holes in both the knees of his jeans, and one looked scraped and bloodied. He also looked hungry.

“Richard?” Gabe gasped. He fumbled for the handle to the door of the truck, and once he opened it, he shouted his name. “Richard!”

Richard whipped his head in Gabe’s direction in surprise. Instead of answering like Gabe expected him to, he ran.

Gabe noticed that he was limping on his injured leg, and he shouted his name again in worry. “Richard! Stop!” He took off after him.

But the human kept going. He huffed, ignoring the pain shooting up from his knee into his hip. He darted behind the large elms in the glade of the rest area, trying to evade the angel, but it was all in vain.

He sprinted between two large trees and was caught in Gabe’s arms as the angel circled around one of them. He struggled, frantically trying to work himself out of his grip.

“Richard! Please talk to me!” Gabe begged.

“No! Let me go!” Richard shouted. He whimpered in pain when his leg twisted beneath him.

Gabe turned him and held him tight. “I won’t!” Gabe said. He placed his hand on the side of his head and cradled it to his shoulder. “Can’t you see? I can’t!”

Richard froze, then sagged in Gabe’s arms. “I’ll hurt you… You have to let me go, Gabe,” he nearly sobbed.

“I can’t…” Gabe said again.

“Why?” Richard cried, gripping Gabe’s jacket in his fists. “I’m nothing but a screw-up. I ruin everything that I touch. You’re an _angel_ , Gabe! I’ve already made you-”

“Shut up!” Gabe said. He turned Richard’s face so he could look at him. “You didn’t make me do anything, understand? What I did, I…” He drew his brows together in concern when Richard hissed in pain again. “You’re hurt. Hold on, let’s get you fixed up first.” He went to lay his palm on Richard’s thigh, but the human stopped him.

“No! Don’t! That’s another thing: You’re always draining your grace for me! Don’t hurt yourself for me!” Richard shook his head while he leaned it down to rest it against the angel’s chest. “I can’t stand to see you so weak afterwards.”

Gabe sighed, then bent down and picked Richard up carefully. “OK, if that’s what you want, I won’t. I think there’s a first-aid kit in the back of the truck somewhere. Will that do?”

Richard only nodded, and Gabe held him close as he walked back to their vehicle.

 

* * *

  

He patched him up, going over the injury and glad that it only appeared to be bruised and sprained. He talked him into letting him at least take away his sunburn and some of the swelling, promising that it wouldn’t affect him too much.

Gabe then drove them back to the cottage, stopping by a convenience store on the way to get Richard a bottle of water and a sandwich. Once they arrived, he helped him inside and bathed him gently in the large tub in the bathroom. He then dried and dressed him in loose pajamas before carrying him to bed.

“What happened to you? How did you get hurt?” Gabe finally asked. He hadn’t wanted to upset him any more than necessary while tending to his wound earlier.

“I fell in a ditch last night. It got too hot to walk during the day recently.” He glanced at his newly healed skin. “Hurt like a bitch.” He pulled the light blanket Gabe had laid over him a little further up his body. “I was able to make it to that rest stop this morning, and I was planning on sleeping there today.”

Gabe pressed his lips to Richard’s brow. “I’m so glad I found you,” he whispered. He touched their heads together. “Are you still hungry? Do you need anything?”

Richard shook his head. “Gabe… I…” His words caught in his throat. He stared into the angel’s eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Richard.” Gabe touched his face. “It never was.”

“Gabe,” Richard said. He leaned forward and brushed their lips together, then pressed them together firmly. “I-”

Gabe kissed him back deeper. He poured all his pent-up feelings into the kiss, his need for the human to have been near him for the time they were apart, his longing for him. “Richard,” he panted when he pulled back. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” Richard said. He kissed him softly. “Gabe, I-” He sighed against his mouth. “I think I’m…”

“I know,” Gabe said. He took a hand and caressed Richard’s cheek. “I am too. Falling so hard it’s almost scary.”

“I’ve never felt this way before. And I’m so sorry I was so stupid about it.”

“Stop apologizing, will you?” He pressed Richard back onto his pillows. “Just rest for now. You need it.” He kissed him once more, then went to sit up from the bed.

“Please don’t go,” Richard said, holding fast to the angel’s jacket. Gabe smiled softly at him then toed his shoes off so he could curl up on his other side. Richard rolled over and pulled him against him, cradling his head against his chest. “You belong here. This is your place,” he said.

Gabe sighed in contentment. “I’ve missed this, too,” he said, tears filling his eyes. He wrapped his arms around Richard’s torso and and turned his head so he could hear Richard’s heart. “I thought I’d never hear it again.”

Richard reached down and pulled the blanket over them both. “Get used to it, because you’ll be hearing it every night for a very long time, got it?” he said. He stroked the back of Gabe’s neck with his fingers as he closed his eyes. “See you when I wake up?”

Gabe bent his knees and tangled them with Richard’s. “I’ll always be here when you wake.” Gabe moved his head and kissed Richard’s chest. “You’re my heart, Richard.”

Richard tilted Gabe’s face up to his and crashed their mouths together fiercely. “You’re mine too, Gabe,” he said after releasing their lips. “Y-You’ve been my light, ya know? I can’t see without you…”

Gabe sought his lips and they became lost in each other, lost in their emotions, in their feelings that they had been too afraid to face. Gabe ended up beneath Richard, and soon they were both divested of their clothing.

Richard hissed at one point when Gabe ran his hand down his arm, and the angel lifted his brow in question, asking permission. Richard groaned and laid his head on his chest. “Just enough… Just enough for the soreness,” he panted. He sighed when he felt the tingle of healing grace dance across his muscles, then dropped his mouth open when a spike of pleasure shot up his spine.

“OH!” He jerked his head up and stared at his boyfriend. “Wh-What was _that?_ ” He rolled his hips against Gabe’s, who tossed his head back as their cocks slid together.

“I’m not the only one with a sweet spot,” he gasped.

“Naughty angel,” Richard said. He reached down between Gabe’s legs and smiled. “Been keeping yourself stretched I see.”

Gabe lifted his head. “Reminded me of you…” He bit his lip. “I needed it…”

Richard’s eyes softened. “I’ll take care of you, baby,” he said, then slowly pulled the plug out. “Let me make it up to you.”

Gabe went to roll over, but Richard stopped him. “No, I want to see you, Gabe.”

The angel spread his legs and opened his arms. “Please, Richard,” he said. “I want to see you, too.”

Richard leaned over him, gripping his thighs with his hands. “Throw your legs over my shoulders, baby.” Gabe eagerly did so, then cried out when his lover thrust into him smoothly.

Nothing was heard in the room for a long time but their loud gasps of pleasure, the moans of their names, their cries of need. Richard folded Gabe nearly in half, wanting the angel beneath him to wail and writh from his thrusts. They kept their eyes locked on each other, wanting to remember each and every second of their first time together with their feelings out in the open at last.

The momentum increased, the intensity built, their amber eyes darkened to molten gold. Gabe ran his fingers down Richard’s back, leaving red welts, and Richard stayed true to his promise from days before, biting Gabe hard, leaving a ring of teeth marks on the angel’s shoulder. Gabe willed his graced to leave it there, thrilling in the sting of pain, and shouted Richard’s name when he licked the indentations on his skin.

“Richard! Oh God! Yes!”

“Mmm… Gabe…”

They moved harder and harder, faster and faster. Gabe grabbed Richard’s head and kissed him, swallowing the other’s moans.

“I’m close! I’m close, Richard!” Gabe cried, ripping his lips from Richard’s

“Cum for me, Gabe! Oh!” Richard shouted, smacking his pelvis frantically against the angel.

“ _Ahh… Richard! RICHARD!_ ”

“GABE! _OH GABE!_ OHHHH!”

They clung together as their entire world seemed to narrow to the confines of the room. They shuddered through aftershock after aftershock, whispering and gasping their names in the other’s ear.

 

* * *

 

Later in the afternoon, after Richard had slept, they lay in bed once more, entwined together. They shared soft, lazy kisses and looked into each other’s eyes, each thinking about what had happened earlier. It had never been like that before, and they felt different.

Gabe saw a question rise in Richard’s eyes after a while, and he knew he had to answer it. He nodded, letting him know that he could go ahead and ask.

“What were you going to tell me?” Richard said softly. “Was it what you’re risking? It’s not because of me, is it?” Richard tightened his arms around Gabe when he felt him tense and look away. “Please tell me. I need to know.”

Gabe swallowed, still keeping his face turned from him. “I did it for you, Richard,” he said softly.

“For me?” Richard slowly blinked his eyes, trying to understand. “What do you mean?”

“If I tell you, it might not end well,” Gabe said, looking back at him warily.

Richard didn’t like his expression at all. “Gabe, are you… are you _scared? _”__

“Not for me.”

Richard gripped Gabe’s arm. “Gabe, what’s going on?” he demanded.

Gabe shook his head. “I want to tell you, but,” he looked into Richard’s face. “Oh Richard, please, don’t make me talk about it right now!”

“Gabe…” Richard breathed, seeing that his lover was terrified. “Is it really that awful?”

Gabe closed his eyes, and tears escaped from under his eyelids. “I’ll lose you.” His lips trembled. “You’ll lose me,” he added in a whisper as he opened his eyes.

Richard pulled him forward and enveloped him securely in his arms. “I didn’t know, Gabe. I didn’t know. I never should've left. God, I’m so sorry.” He pulled back and kissed Gabe deeply. “You won’t lose me. I won’t let it happen.”

Gabe closed his eyes and shuddered. “You don’t understand, Richard.”

Richard ran a hand gently down Gabe’s chest. “I mean it. I won’t leave,” he insisted softly. He traced his finger along Gabe’s pectoral muscle. “I won’t let anything take you from me either.” He felt his breath leave him when Gabe crushed him to his chest. “Gabe?”

“I know you won’t,” Gabe said, burying his face in his shoulder and breathing in the smell of his skin. “I’m just afraid…”

“Did someone threaten you, Gabe?” Richard asked, putting the pieces together in his mind. He felt Gabe stiffen and lifted his head. “Who was it? Please tell me.” He raised a hand and touched Gabe’s face. “I’m with you. You’re not alone.”

Gabe gripped his arm, then kissed him. “If I tell you, please stay with me. Don’t let me go. I didn’t realize that I had waited so long for you until I found you, Richard.”

“I’ve got you,” Richard said. “I’ve always got you.”

Gabe kissed him again, and Richard returned it. He then watched in confusion as his lover raised his eyes and glared.

“Ready or not, we’re coming!”

He looked at Richard. “I couldn’t tell you beca-”

" _ **STOP!**_ " 

Gabe swallowed, then held Richard tightly to him as the human looked around him in astonishment. Gabe noticed that they were fully clothed, which vaguely amused him. He turned them both around to the Guardian.

“Matt?” Richard asked, confused.

“I can’t believe that you were going to tell him!” B shouted at Gabe, ignoring Richard completely. He was standing in front of his desk, hands on his hips, glaring at the angel in restrained fury.

Gabe returned his look. “You gave me no choice. Surely you saw what was happening.”

“And you know that it doesn’t matter at the moment!”

Gabe scowled. “Excuse me? ‘Doesn’t matter?’ _Doesn’t matter?!_ What gives you the right to decide what matters or not? You’re supposed to watch over your charges in addition to watching over the safety of the world!”

“Wait wait wait,” Richard spoke up, closing his eyes and shaking his head. “He’s the Guardian?” he asked, opening his eyes as he looked at his boyfriend. At Gabe’s terse nod, anger clouded his features. “YOU MOTHERFUCKIN’ PIECE OF SHIT!” Richard roared, whirling on B. “FIRST YOU RUIN MY LIFE, THEN YOU GO AFTER THE ONE PERSON WHO GIVES A DAMN ABOUT ME?! WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!” He pulled away from Gabe, who quickly grabbed his arm. He tried to shrug him off, but Gabe refused to let go, so he continued with his tirade. “ALL THIS TIME YOU’VE IGNORED ME AND MY PAIN, MY FRIENDS, AND NOW THIS?! IF I COULD I WOULD KILL YOU!!!”

B stared at him. “What are you talking about, Richard?!” he exclaimed. “I haven’t ignored you at all! I’ve been keeping a close eye on you ever since you came back the second time. You’re the only main character left here! Of course I wouldn’t ignore you!”

Richard scoffed. “Then why am I stuck here? Why is everyone blocked?” He started to tremble and lowered his head. “Why are all my friends not here anymore?” he said in a small, sad voice. He slowly raised his head and took a step forward, extending a pleading hand towards the Guardian as he nearly sobbed, “Did I do something wrong? Did they all get angry at me? Is that why my performer can’t continue our story, because all the other characters refuse to come back?”

“Richard…” Gabe whispered. He tugged him to his side and pulled him close. “No…”

B strode forward and placed a hand on Richard’s arm. “Richard, I don’t know where this came from, but I can assure you, you have done absolutely nothing wrong.” His eyes softened. “And I’m so sorry that I didn’t see that you were suffering. I failed you.”

Richard’s countenance crumpled and he covered his face with his hands as he began to cry almost uncontrollably. “I’m sorry, Guardian. I should’ve asked you…”

“Richard,” Gabe said, turning him and cradling his shaking form to his chest. “Shhh.” He looked at B, a question in his eyes.

The Guardian shook his head, indicating how distraught the human was. Gabe nodded in silent agreement. Maybe later, but not now.

 

* * *

   

Thankfully, B took pity on Richard’s anguish and returned them to the cottage, where it was just after mid-morning. Gabe soothed the human through his tears, murmured words of comfort, promised him that he would be there, that he wasn’t alone, that he didn’t blame him, that it was going to be OK.

Richard fell into a restless sleep, and Gabe stayed with him through all of it. He kissed him whenever he would whimper, touched his face through every soft cry. He hated this. Why hadn’t he seen it?

Richard began repeating his name in despair as he slept, and it made him grit his teeth in pain. “What’s going on inside your head, Richard?” he whispered. The human’s face was twisted and contorted in torment, and eventually Gabe couldn’t stand it anymore.

“I’m sorry, but I have to,” he said to his sleeping boyfriend. Closing his eyes, he touched his lips to Richard’s and delved into his mind…

 

* * *

 

 

  _He was in the Bird’s Cage, the bar at the Flamingo. The lights were dimmed, the entire establishment empty._

_The sound of glass shattering from behind him caused him to whirl around in surprise. He saw Richard smashing bottles of liquor with his bare fist, grunting in pain as the shards of glass sliced his skin with each strike._

_“Stupid! Stupid!” he shouted each time he slammed and broke a bottle with his hand. “I did this! It was me, and now he’s gone, and this is what I deserve!”_

_“Richard stop!”_

_Gabe turned and saw himself standing at the entrance to the bar. He looked haggard. Distraught._

_“Go away!” Richard yelled. He grabbed the neck of a bottle with bloody fingers. “You don’t want this! I’m fucked up!”_

_Gabe saw dream-Gabe shrug. “If that’s what you want.” His dream-self then turned and walked away._

_Richard fell to his knees. “Guess it’s just you and me again, huh Jimmy?” He tipped the bottle to his mouth and took a swig. “It was always meant to be this way. Dreams never come true for people like me.”_

_A loud **THUMP!** was heard from outside in the lobby, and Richard dropped the bottle. It shattered to the floor, and Richard raced out the door. Gabe followed, then stopped and stared as he watched Richard fall to his knees next to the twisted body of his dead dream-self. _

_It looked like he had fallen from high above. His legs and arms were broken, bent at odd angles along with his neck. His eyes stared lifelessly, and blood trickled from his mouth and nose._

_“Gabe?” Richard said. He touched the side of the body’s face. “Hey, stop playing, this isn’t funny.” He shook its shoulder. “Gabe!” He started to become hysterical. “GABE!” He hauled the body into his arms and rocked back and forth. “No Gabe… Oh no… No no no no no…”_  

 _Torturous wails and cries of despair filled the lobby. The blood that ran down Richard’s arms covered the pale skin of Gabe’s dream counterpart. He sobbed his name over and over._  

 _“G-Gabe… you said you’d… you’d stay…”_  

_Gabe walked softly forward, kneeled next to his lover._

_“Richard,” he said softly._

_But Richard didn’t respond to him. “I never... “ He wrapped his arms tightly around the lifeless body. “We never got the chance…”_

_“RICHARD!” Gabe shouted. This couldn’t go on anymore._

_Richard jerked, then slowly turned his head to look at him. “...Gabe?” he choked out._

_“Yes, it’s me. Richard, it’s me. You need to wake up,” Gabe pleaded._

_Richard looked from him to the “Gabe” in his arms. “But, you can’t,” he swallowed thickly and closed his eyes. “No, not real. You’re not real.”_

_“No Richard!” Gabe touched his shoulder and Richard gasped. “This place, **it** isn’t real. You’re dreaming! You need to wake up! Please!”_

_“How are you here?” Richard opened his eyes and looked at him. “Why did you…?” He covered his face with his hands, the body disappearing as soon as he let it go. “Make it go away, Gabe! It just keeps getting louder!”_

_Gabe pulled Richard to his feet, making the human flail and reach out to hold onto him. “Wake up, Richard,” Gabe said softly. He looked deep into his eyes, then kissed him. **Wake up** … he said into his mind once more, keeping their lips moving together. **Wake up** … He kept repeating the phrase, kept on kissing him, urging him to try._

_Richard concentrated on Gabe’s voice and words, keeping his eyes riveted on his, focusing on the way he looked at him, the feel of his lips against his own. He used the words like a mantra, and slowly he started to feel himself being pulled towards wakefulness._

_Gabe moved his face away slightly and whispered, “I’ll be right next to you when you open your eyes. Don’t be afraid.” Richard felt him smile against his mouth. “I’m with you, Richard…” He phased away._

_Richard closed his eyes, and dove towards where his angel was waiting for him._  

* * *

 

 

“Richard? Baby? You with me?” 

Richard blinked his eyes. “Gabe?” He raised his hand, and it was quickly grasped.

“I’m here, like I’d said I’d be,” his lover answered. Kisses were gently laid across his chin and jaw. “Oh I’m so glad to see you awake, you just don’t know…”

“Gabe,” Richard said again. He opened his eyes wider, then sat up and ran his hands over the angel’s body, checking him for any signs of injury. “You’re OK, aren’t you?” The memories of him dead, on the floor of the lobby, were still fresh in his mind.

“Richard,” Gabe said, placing his hands on his. “I’m fine. It was just a dream. It wasn’t me.” He raised his hands to his lips and kissed his knuckles. “See? It’s alright.” 

“Oh Gabe! The sounds… They kept telling me… That you’d be… They wouldn’t go away!” Richard threw his arms around Gabe and shook. “I couldn’t stop them. They just wouldn’t stop!”

Gabe tucked Richard’s head against his shoulder. “Were they voices?” He gently rocked Richard in his arms. “Richard, you need to tell me.”

“No… just… dark. They were dark. Made my thoughts… dark.” He shuddered. “I couldn’t see your light anymore.” 

The angel closed his eyes and focused on the area around them. He had only been worried about Richard ever since they returned. He stretched out his senses, then snapped his eyes open when he felt the tendrils of Odium seeping in on the edge of town. It was spreading, and Richard and the inhabitants of the world were being impacted heavily as it grew stronger. 

“I’m sorry, Richard, but we have to leave. Now,” he said. He slid his arms securely about the human’s body and stood from the bed.

Richard stiffened, then nodded against his chest. “OK, Gabe.” He sighed. “OK.”

Gabe headed swiftly outside, not caring about any of their things that remained in the cottage. They could pick up new supplies later.

He placed Richard inside the truck, securing his seatbelt, then quickly ran around and got in himself. He peeled out the driveway and headed northeast, glad that the sun was still at its zenith. Richard stared hard out the window, and Gabe slid his hand over and entwined their fingers.

“Hey, you can go back to sleep if you want. I’ll wake you if-”

“No. I don’t want to.” Richard looked at him. “Not until…” He tightened his hand in Gabe’s. “I want to be sure that,” he bit his lip. “That _everything _is cleared up.”__

Gabe took a sharp turn, not noticing the change in his lover’s voice as he said his last words. “OK.”

Richard turned and looked out the window, releasing Gabe’s hand. “OK.” 


	8. Wonderwall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm doing Gish at the end of the month. I'm not quite certain if it will affect the posting of the next chapter or not—I'm hoping it doesn't! But if it does, don't worry! I've got it written, just needs to be edited and yadda yadda yadda.
> 
> Hope this chapter is enjoyable!
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING:
> 
> Angry sex and mentions of suicide attempt—possibly graphic depending on context

 

 

 

 

They stopped only once at small town and loaded up on provisions. Richard wanted a cooler, and Gabe filled it with whatever he wanted. They ended up with enough food to last them a long while.

Taking side roads, and by-passing many areas where the “bad feelings”—as Richard called them—existed, they traveled from town to town, from city to city. Gabe knew his earlier suggestion of going back to Vegas was out the window, since the place was probably completely taken over by the Odium at this point.

From time to time, they would stay a day or two in one place, replacing their supplies and resting. However, as the weeks went by, Gabe noticed that Richard spoke less and less, slept more, and would sometimes be looking at him then turn away suddenly if he tried to meet his eyes. He never asked him about it, just assumed that he was tired and scared. Even he himself was, angel or not.

Because of taking so many detours of Odium-impacted areas, it was almost three months after their hasty exit from Wimberley the day they crossed the stateline into Illinois. They reached the city of Alton near evening, and after Gabe sensed that it was safe, he chose one of the multiple hotels in the area for them to stay the night.

Gabe jumped when Richard slammed the door on his side of the truck after he got out and stalked inside the hotel, paying no attention to his worried shouts of his name. In an effort to figure out his foul mood, Gabe went along with Richard’s choice of a ground floor room, and decided to warm up some soup for him in the microwave when his boyfriend decided to take a shower. He had just taken the bowl out and set it on top of the dresser when Richard exited the bathroom, wearing nothing but his boxer shorts.

“What are you doing?”

Gabe looked over at Richard, closing the microwave door. “Making you something to eat. You haven’t had anything since this morning.”

Richard shook his head and came to stand before him. “No. The Guardian. What are you doing... with him.” It wasn’t a question this time.

Now Gabe realized what Richard’s behavior had really been about: it was related to his and B’s conversation at the temple. He should’ve known that it would come up eventually, and that his boyfriend had been stewing over it for weeks.

Not good.

“I’m not doing anything,” he answered honestly.

“Bullshit,” Richard said, narrowing his eyes. “You were about to tell me before he dragged us to him to make you stop.” He took a deep breath and looked down, hurt. “Were you _ever_ going to tell me?”

Gabe went to touch his hand, but Richard pulled away. “Richard, why all this just now? I thought you trusted me?”

“I do!” Richard said, looking up. “I just want, and _need_ , to know if there’s anything else going on.” He tapped the side of his head. “That stuff that was in my head? It sucked. I don’t want you having any in yours either.”

Gabe’s eyes softened. “You don’t have to worry about that. He’s not making me do anything.” He sighed, not liking the words he had to say next. “Not anymore, anyway.” The Guardian couldn’t threaten him anymore, and it was past time that Richard knew the entire story.

“Anymore?!” Richard shouted. “What the hell was he making you do?!”

“That darkness we felt in Loraine? Those ‘bad feelings’ that are all over the place? What you felt in your dream? It’s everywhere. It’s around this world. My Guardian and yours are trying to fight it. They’ve…” Gabe closed his eyes, sighing and rubbing his temples. “They’ve locked up all traveling in both worlds to help keep it at bay, but it keeps getting stronger here for some reason.” He was barely able to contain the panic in his voice as he opened his eyes and added, “Richard, the _Fourth Wall_ is surrounded by it!”

Richard knew that he should be shocked by what he heard. He should be panicking, freaking out, even. But it was too much. Why hadn’t Gabe told him? Wasn’t he important to him?

He glared angrily. “Don’t you think I deserved to know this?” he said in a flat voice. He ignored the way Gabe’s face fell. “What do you take me for? Some side-character that’ll run screaming? I should know these things!” He pushed his face into the angel’s, his voice rising. “I’m also your boyfriend! I thought that MEANT something! Were all those words you said, what we shared in Texas, just an act?!”

Gabe was dumbfounded. “Of course not! I meant every word!” He was shouting now. “I did it for YOU Richard! ALL of it!”

Richard scoffed. “If you had, you wouldn’t have kept it from me!”

Gabe growled and grabbed Richard’s shoulders, feeling his temper rise. “I had to! I had no choice!”

Richard shrugged him off. “I should kick your ass! You know I hate liars!”

“Oh yeah?” Gabe pushed himself against Richard. “Try it!”

Richard put his hands on Gabe’s shoulders and hurled him against the wall next to the dresser, knocking the painting that hung beside it to the floor. “Maybe I will!” He slammed his mouth against Gabe’s, who kissed him back just as hard. “I’m so fucking pissed at you!” he growled when he pulled back to stare angrily at him. He then slanted his lips over his once more.

Gabe turned his mouth to the side. “Feeling’s mutual,” he rasped. He humped his hips, rubbing his arousal against Richard’s. “Uh!”

“I’m gonna fuck you until you say ‘Sorry,’ then I’m gonna fuck you until you promise never to do that again!” Richard shouted. He stepped back and they both clawed off their clothes. “Hold yourself against the wall!”

“How?” Gabe demanded.

Richard narrowed his eyes. “Just. Do. It,” he bit out.

Gabe smirked haughtily, then used a bit of grace to raise himself to the right height and held himself there. “Like this?”

“You are such an asshole,” Richard ground out. He lifted Gabe’s legs and wrapped them around his waist, then pulled his plug harshly out of him, tossing it on the bed behind them. Gabe sucked in a breath at the burn. “I figured you’d like that, you masochist.”

“You made me that way,” Gabe retorted.

“Just take it,” Richard snapped. He grabbed Gabe’s hips and rammed his cock inside and started to fuck him furiously. Gabe threw his head back and shouted; it was at the perfect angle. “Take it! Take it, dammit!”

“FUCK! FUCK!” Gabe wailed. He tightened his legs around Richard, then grappled his arms around his neck and shoulders. “AHHH!”

“Are you sorry? Are you SORRY?!” Richard’s hips moved rapidly as his cock slid wetly within Gabe’s channel. He used his index finger and thumb to circle the base of the angel’s cock and squeezed it. “I won’t let you cum until you do,” he huffed out.

“NO! NO!” Gabe shouted stubbornly. He lowered his head and looked heatedly into Richard’s eyes. “I did it for you! I did nothing wron-OH SHIT!”

Richard swiveled his hips, dragging his cock firmly over Gabe’s prostate. “Say sorry and I’ll let you cum, Gabe.”

Gabe grasped the sides of Richard’s face. “R-Richard,” he pleaded. “I did it for you… PLEASE... Ah! AH!” He touched their heads together. “I would’ve been-” He keened at a sharp thrust from Richard. “He would’ve sent me awaa-AH!”

Richard continued his thrusts, though he lowered their intensity and slowed his pace. “What?” he said. He moved his other hand from Gabe’s hip and curled it around the back of his neck.

Gabe’s elbows fell over Richard’s shoulders as he dropped his head to his chest. “He… would’ve made… me leave you,” he panted.

Feeling his heart drop into his stomach, Richard pulled himself out, not caring about the fluids that leaked upon both their legs. He pressed himself closer. “Oh God, Gabe...” He wrapped his arm around Gabe’s shoulders and let out a broken sob. “I’m a screw-up after all. I’m so sorry...”

“No, Richard,” Gabe said softly. He felt his impending release abate, then sighed in relief when Richard removed his hand from between his legs so he could slide it behind his lower back and hold his body against him. He wrapped his own limbs tighter about him. “I’m not angry anymore, baby.” He lifted his head and kissed him. “I forgive you, OK? It’s alright.”

Richard shuddered. “You did that, for me? Really?” he asked. His eyes glistened with unshed tears.

“I would do it again, Richard,” Gabe answered, feeling tears of his own threaten to fall down his face.

Richard’s breath caught in his throat and he felt the tears that had gathered in his eyes stream down his cheeks. “Gabe, I don’t know what to say.” He softly brushed his lips over Gabe’s.

“You don’t have to say anything,” Gabe whispered against his lips, still holding him.

They held each other, crying softly. Gabe kissed his face, tasting the salt of his tears away, and Richard accepted his forgiveness. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have this amazing, caring being in his arms, and the warmth that had been blooming in his chest for what felt like forever blazed to life.

 _Now!_ his mind screamed at him. _Don’t wait any longer! Do it now!_

“Gabe I...” Richard started to shake and, feeling overcome by the emotions swirling within his heart as he said, “Oh God, Gabe, my perfect Gabe, let me love you…” He tilted his head back and looked fearfully at Gabe’s face, worried about the angel’s reaction to his words.

Gabe’s face brightened, and Richard swore that it was more brilliant than the sun. All fear fled and was replaced by hope as the angel said, “Richard, did you…?”

“Yes!” Richard said, feeling a smile forming on his own lips. “Yes, I did! WHOA!” He suddenly found himself lying on his back in the middle of the bed. “Gabe!”

Gabe was leaning over him, his face inches from his. “Hearing it outloud, I never thought...” He lowered his head and kissed him passionately, and Richard felt Gabe’s warm tears fall onto his face. He brought his arms up and embraced him. They ran their hands up and down each other’s bodies, kissing each other soundly, saying the other’s name whenever Richard needed to breathe.

“Make love to me, Richard,” Gabe said when he felt Richard’s length slide between his slippery thighs. He sat up and lowered himself slowly upon his lover, and they both moaned when Richard was fully sheathed inside of Gabe’s tight heat. “Only you, Richard…”

“Gabe…”

They made love slowly, focusing on the other’s pleasure, for hours. They switched positions, going from Gabe astride Richard, to Richard on his knees behind him, lying on their sides back to front, then finally with them looking at each other in adoration as Richard moved within Gabe from above. They very soon reached ecstasy, eyes closed tightly while holding the other in their arms, lips locked together in a kiss full of promise.

When they opened their eyes after spiraling down, they both whispered to each other as one, “I love you.”

Gabe smiled and kissed him tenderly. “And I love you,” he said.

“Say it again,” Richard asked. He stroked a finger along Gabe’s cheek. “It sounds wonderful to hear it from your lips.”

“I love you...”

Richard kissed him, and didn’t stop until he needed air. “I want to stay in this bed with you forever.” He rolled his hips, making Gabe groan and spread his legs wider so he could move his knees and thighs up higher along Richard’s sides. “Just like this, so I can stay close to you.”

“Mmm, you’ve no idea how tempting that is,” Gabe moaned. He turned his head towards the window. It was still dark out, and he wondered what time it actually was. He glanced at the clock on the bedside table and smiled smugly. It was only an hour or so before dawn.

He turned back to Richard. “You need to eat, baby,” he said, looking pointedly at Richard. “I’m surprised that you’re not conked out yet.”

“Well, I _was_ hungry, just not for food,” Richard said, moving his eyebrows up and down seductively. He stuck his tongue out when Gabe rolled his eyes. “OK, OK, I’ll go eat something, but can I take another shower first?”

Gabe pointed over his shoulder at their cooler that sat in one of the room’s chairs. “Food first. I don’t need you passing out on me and almost drowning.”

Sighing, Richard gave up on arguing. He reached over and picked up Gabe’s “toy” and placed it in his hand. “You know what to do,” he said, winking.

“Don’t I always?” Gabe said, tossing it in his hand.

Richard kissed him. “One of the reasons that I love you.”

“Perv.”

“Screamer.”

 

* * *

  

Richard ate then hopped in the shower. He refused to let Gabe join him, stating that he would never get clean if they were _both_ in there at the same time. When Gabe insisted on at least a kiss, it lasted longer than they expected, and Richard forced himself away, saying, “See?”

Gabe got dressed and collected Richard’s dirty clothes and laid out a pair of pajama bottoms. He packed up their belongings, then went to watch the last stars of the night fade as the sun began its journey across the sky for the day.

His thoughts were filled with the events of the last handful of months. He couldn’t believe that so much had happened. Gabriel had been right: it was worth it, and so much more. He would do anything for that man, and he made a vow to himself that he would protect him from the Odium, even if he had to keep them on the run forever.

“What are you thinking so intently about?”

Gabe turned around and smiled. Richard was standing next to the bed with towel-dried hair, looking at the sleepwear he had laid out for him. He had a towel wrapped around his waist.

“Just what we’ll be doing for the next few days. Ya know, thinking ahead.”

Richard gave him an appraising look. “Why am I not surprised,” he said, then winked. He threw the clothes on top of the dresser, tossed the towel onto the floor, and crawled under the covers on the bed. “I appreciate the thought of the jammies, but I’d rather sleep au naturel.”

“Why does _that_ not surprise me?” Gabe chuckled, shaking his head. He walked over and flopped down next to him on top of the covers. He sprawled across Richard, who cuddled him close. “I’ll just make myself at home here.”

“You’re always home with me,” he yawned.

“Me too,” Gabe said. “Get some sleep. We gotta get going later.”

“Will do.” Richard leaned down and kissed the top of his head. “Love you.”

Gabe hugged him. “I love you too.”

 

* * *

 

**_Two Months Later_ **

 

“I’m glad that electricity and all those things work on their own in our worlds,” Gabe said, sitting in his seat as he watched the scenery fly by from his window. “It would really suck for non-supernatural beings if utilities just stopped functioning during breaks.”

Richard stretched in the seat across from him and propped his feet in his lover’s lap. “Can’t argue with you. Too bad we couldn’t travel by train from the start. It’s SO much more comfortable.” He caught Gabe’s eye when the angel turned his head. “And the beds are more sturdy too.”

Gabe grinned. “How many beds have we broken now?” He laughed when Richard started to tick off numbers on his fingers silently. “Oh come on! Don't leave me in suspense!”

Richard gave him an impish smile. “I think I lost count really… but… definitely over fifty.”

“That’s all?”

Richard gave him a seductive look. “We can add another to our tally quite easily.”

“And how would you like to do that?” Gabe said, reaching down and rubbing Richard’s ankles with his fingers.

“Hmm,” Richard hummed. “I seem to recall a certain baby boy who snuck a handful of my strawberries from the table this morning while I was in the shower…”

Gabe’s fingers stilled on Richard’s skin. “It wasn’t a handful. It was just three.”

Richard narrowed his eyes.

“Sir!” Gabe added hastily. “It was only three, Sir!”

“What happens to boys who are naughty, Gabe?”

Gabe sighed and made himself look guilty. “They get tied up and punished, Sir.”

“Off you go then. You know what to do,” Richard said, putting his feet back down to the floor and sitting up straight in his seat. “I’ll be there in a moment.”

 

* * *

 

Gabe quickly made his way to the stateroom they had claimed as their own, stripping his clothes off and laying flat on his back in the middle of the large bed. He spread his arms and legs towards the corners of the mattress and waited, feeling more aroused with each passing second.

Did he take the strawberries on purpose?

Of course.

And did Richard know that he did?

Yes, and his boyfriend was probably thinking that the “loss” of a few pieces of his favorite fruit were going to be more than worth it.

“Funishments” always were...

He shivered in anticipation when he heard the door to the room open slowly. He didn’t move, keeping his eyes staring straight at the ceiling. Richard’s footfalls echoed in the room as he entered, and stopped when he stood at the foot of the bed.

“Oh baby boy, look at you. All ready for your punishment,” he said. The bed dipped at the end, and Gabe closed his eyes as Richard’s fingers swirled over the drops of precum at the tip of his cock. “And already wet and dripping.”

Richard leaned back. “Look at me,” he said. Gabe lowered his chin and stared at him. Richard was holding their vibrator. It was dark navy blue and covered with multiple-sized bumps. He was also holding a black cockring. “I’m gonna punish you real good, sweet boy.”

“Yes, Sir,” Gabe panted. “Punish me…”

Richard placed the items at the foot of the bed, then gathered the black ties that were draped over his arm. He took his time and secured Gabe’s wrists and ankles to the corners of the bed, double-checking to make sure that they were nice and snug. He knew that no marks would be left behind on the angel’s skin.

Since it was part of their play (and he cared), he softly asked, “Color my baby boy?”

“Green, Sir.”

Richard ran his fingers up Gabe’s thigh. “Were those strawberries good?” he purred.

Gabe shuddered at Richard’s touch and tone of voice. “Yeeesss, so good, Sir…

Richard pinched the skin on Gabe’s hip, and the angel cried out. “Do you prefer them to me?”

“No! Never!” Gabe gasped out. “You always, Sir.”

Richard moved to the bottom of the bed and picked up the vibrator and cock ring. He then tapped the angel’s plug. “I’m gonna stuff you with the vibrator, Gabe, and you’re gonna deal with it in you until I let you cum.” He grasped Gabe’s shaft and slid the silicone ring down to its base and tucked it under his sac.

Gabe mewled. “Yes Sir!”

“Is my baby boy a masochistic little cumslut? Does he _want_ his punishment?” Richard started to pant. Gabe always got him extremely worked up when they played.

“YES! I want it! Please Sir!” Gabe begged.

Richard swiftly pulled out the plug, then plunged the vibrator deep inside Gabe’s channel, feeling his cock twitch in his jeans at the wet, squelching sound it made. He clicked it to its lowest setting, then moved it slowly back and forth.

“Oh! _Oh Sir!_ ” Gabe moaned. He tugged at his bindings, vainly trying to move his hips. “Oooo…”

“You like that, huh?” Richard said. He thrust it a bit faster. “Mmm, I love your hole. Always ready for a good fuck.”

Gabe threw his head back onto the bed. “Anytime, Sir. For you…” He bit his lip as the bumps along the vibrator stimulated his walls. “Ah!”

Richard shoved the toy to the hilt and let it thrum inside Gabe’s passage. “I’m gonna sit in the chair next to the window,” he nodded towards it, “and watch you ‘suffer’ through your punishment, Gabe. Make all the noise you want. No one will help you.” He leaned forward and sucked Gabe’s cock all the way down and bobbed his head a few times to stimulate him more, then popped off and cranked the vibrator’s setting all the way to high.

Gabe would’ve cum if it hadn’t been for the cock ring. “SIR SIR SIR! OH FUCK FUCK FUCK!” he cried. He tugged on his bindings, a part of his mind knowing to do it just to the point of too much so he wouldn’t ruin their play. “OH OH OH!”

Richard picked up a very outdated magazine and went to the chair. “Music to my ears, Gabe,” he sang. He opened the magazine, unzipping his jeans and lazily stroking himself as he listened and read.

Gabe moaned and cried, begging for release, and loving every minute of it. He started to revel with the pulses of pleasure cascading throughout him, and his eyes glazed over with it. Through it all, Richard kept reading, and encouraged Gabe to be louder from time to time.

When Richard finished reading the magazine, he stood, tucking himself back into his jeans. He walked across the room towards the bathroom, drawing Gabe’s attention with the sounds of his footsteps. His eyes followed Richard as he walked out of sight, and he cried out, “Where are you going, Sir? Don’t leave me!”

“I’m right here, baby boy. Don’t worry,” Richard’s voice called back to him.

Gabe felt himself start to panic. Richard wasn’t there! Where was he?! He needed to come back! All the anxiety during their time apart from months before flooded his system, and the intense sensations he had been enjoying turned into a dull throb.

“RED!” Gabe screamed, not knowing what else to do. “RED RED RED!!!”

Richard raced back, Gabe’s fearful cries making his heart race. He didn’t know what had triggered his lover, but right now it didn’t matter. He just knew that he had to get to his angel and get him out of those restraints and into his arms NOW.

Gabe had ripped one of his wrists free from the bindings by the time Richard was at his side. Richard then deftly untied the other arm and rushed down to his ankles to do the same. “I’m right here, Gabe. Keep your legs spread, baby. Hold on,” he said quickly. He slowly and gently removed the toys, crawled up next to him, then pulled him into his arms. “Shhh, shhh, I’m here. I’m here,” he whispered, kissing his face and lips tenderly. “I’m here.”

“I couldn't see you, Richad,” Gabe sobbed. “I couldn’t see you!” Gabe held onto him desperately.

“I’m here, see?” Richard placed a hand on Gabe’s face and turned his head so he could look at him. “See? I’m here, right next to you. I’m right next to you, my light.”

“Richard!” Gabe burst into a fresh set of tears and buried his head in his chest. “Don’t go, don’t leave me!”

“I won’t, Gabe. I’ll never leave,” Richard said.

“Where were you?” Gabe choked out.

“I was throwing the magazine away. I’m so sorry, Gabe.” He lay them both down, setting Gabe’s head over his heart. “Listen, baby. Just listen and relax. Shh…”

“I’m sorry I took your strawberries,” Gabe said in a small, quiet voice, growing calmer at the sound of his love’s heartbeat.

“I love you so much more than strawberries, Gabe.” Richard ran his fingers through his soft hair. “More than you’ll ever know.”

“Are you going to sleep?”

“I can, if you want me to stay here with you.”

Gabe wrapped his arms firmly around him in answer.

“Guess we’ll try to break another bed in New York, huh?” Richard said softly, trying to get Gabe’s mind to focus on something calming.

Gabe nodded. “I hope it snows while we’re there.”

Richard smiled. “That would be fun.”

“Yeah…”

It was quiet for a moment, the only sounds being the rush of the train’s wheels on the tracks below them.

“Richard?”

“Yes, baby.”

“After…” Gabe swallowed and curled his body against Richard’s. “After my Guardian rescued me, did I ever tell you what happened?”

Richard brushed his fingers along Gabe’s back softly. “Gabe, you don’t have to talk about any of that to me—ever—if you don’t want to, especially right now.”

“No, it’s… I _want_ you to know,” Gabe said.

“Gabe…”

“Please.”

For the next twenty minutes, Richard listen as his boyfriend told him in hushed words and whispers how he had felt alone and unwanted after he was created. He felt his connection with Rich become fuzzy, as it always does when actors complete their performances, and he was immediately snubbed by other characters. He was called fake, a wannabe, a throwaway. He tried to get their attention by any means necessary, even if it meant just getting yelled at for causing trouble. However, when that didn’t fill the pit of loneliness inside of him, he started to hate himself, and eventually his own existence.

That’s when he went to the Edge. He used all the pitiful amount of grace he had along with his wings, the wings that the writers had neglected to describe at all. They weren’t as huge and vibrant as Gabriel’s, but they weren’t damaged like the other angels’ and Cas’ had been because of their fall from Heaven. No, he had full-feathered wings, and they pulsed with grace, and he used this extra grace to propel himself to the Edge.

As soon as he had arrived, he had immediately jumped. He just didn’t care, he despised himself and his reality so much. He had expected instant relief and release from his suffering, but was instead surrounded by agony. He had felt liquid fire wrap itself around him, pour into his mouth and down into his body. White-hot shards had stabbed his back and gone straight through to exit his chest. He had tried to scream, but his mouth was blocked.

His left wing was crushed, twisted, and shredded by molten ropes of dark lava Hate, and his eyes had rolled back into his head as the appendage was ripped away from his back. He had waited for the torture to continue with his remaining wing, and thought that he was getting what he deserved, ending his life this way.

He had closed his eyes, but then opened them to a room inside the Summit. The Boss was leaning over him, smiling gently, and Gabe had shouted at her, demanding to know what she had done.

When he learned that she had pulled him out of the Edge, he screamed at her to send him back, but she refused and told him that his story hadn’t ended yet. He went to lunge for her, but he had fallen to his knees. He was still not completely healed, and the loss of his wing had him off-balance.

She had looked at him sadly, then told him that although she didn’t want to do it, he would stay there until she knew for certain that he wouldn’t try to go jump again. She left him in that room for months, only having food brought to him since his grace was lowered to almost nothing at the Summit. He had refused to eat at first, and bloodied his fists against the barrier that barred his exit. He had screamed for her to release him, begged for her to just let him die. He was out of his mind from the mark of rage that had been left on his chest from Hate.

She appeared in the room one day and threatened to have him strapped down and force-fed. He had growled at her like an animal, and she had stood her ground, not the least bit intimidated. They had stared each other down the entire day, but at the end he had relented and eaten a few bites, and she had taken it as a small victory.

This continued for several days, and at the end of one of them, she got him to talk. It was only little things at first, but as the days passed, and he started to eat more and sleep more, she gained his trust.

She was able to get him to talk to her about how he felt, and she had then told him why she had done what she did.

“How did she know that you were there?” Richard asked softly. He knew from the multiple times that he had gone that his own Guardian had been oblivious to his own attempts, and most likely wouldn’t have noticed if he had succeeded.

Gabe then told him how she had been notified by the other characters about his actions towards them, and how she had just been about to contact him when she saw him disappear. She had been surprised at how abrupt it had been, and followed him.

She had shown up and seen him jump, and not even Guardians can overpower the forces of the Odium. She had somehow retrieved him, and he had never gotten it out of her about how she had actually rescued him.

He hadn’t understood why she would care to even do that. No one else cared if he existed or not. He wasn’t important. It took her a handful of days to convince him that he was wrong, that he _was_ important, and that he mattered.

It took a long time, and a lot of work, but he got to a better place. The Boss let him stay at the Summit, then let him help her. It didn’t take too much time after that for her to actually BECOME his boss, and the inhabitants of the world saw more of him than they ever had.

And, of course, he went back to his pranks. But the Boss let him get away with it.

“Because I’m her favorite,” Gabe finished, smiling softly. He felt better, finally having someone to talk about his fears and past to.

Richard had grown still during Gabe’s narrative. So much! Gabe had gone through so much! No wonder he was terrified of being alone!

“I’m sorry, baby,” he said. “I hope I get the chance to thank your Guardian someday for saving you.”

Gabe sighed. “I need to thank her again as well. She helped me find you too, ya know.”

“I’m glad she did. I was lost before you came and found me.”

“What did your Guardian mean, when he said you’d come back the second time?”

Richard sighed. “As is tradition, we all decided to go look up our performers once they finished filming. Afterwards, Rob wanted to go explore other places with Osric and Serge, to do something spontaneous. But, I dunno, I just wanted to come back here.” He laughed dryly. “I suppose I just felt more comfortable with things that are familiar to me.” He looked down and saw Gabe looking intently at him. “I’m getting better at that.

“After I came back, I noticed that a lot of people had gone, some I was close to, others I had only gotten to know in passing. I realized that I should’ve gone with Rob and the others because I had nothing to do, no one to talk to. I hitched a portal, checked out a few places.”

He stared off to the side, and Gabe’s brow furrowed in concern. “Baby?”

“No one would talk to me,” Richard said. He glanced down at Gabe. “Well, some did, but only to ridicule me.” He gave his boyfriend a pained smile. “I was called the same things you were.”

“How did they know?” Gabe asked, his voice full of hurt for him.

“I guess they heard about the show while visiting their own performers. Those like us are discriminated everywhere it seems.”

“And that was when you returned here,” Gabe said. “That was the second time.”

Gabe nodded, then his face filled with pain. “And it would be my last. No one ever returned. I was alone, became lost in my head. I started to blame myself, thinking that my friends and the others were being treated the same. I tried and tried to leave, but I was blocked, and I refused to ask my Guardian why, because it was obvious that he knew, right? And if he knew, why hadn’t he taken care of it?

“I couldn’t handle dealing with it, and I knew that we could get buzzed here from drinking. I figured that I would see how far I could go. I had to do _something_...”

He tightened his arms around Gabe, who held him in return. “I didn’t know about what was happening. I fell further and further.” He lifted a hand and rubbed where his mark was. “I fell when I saw it the first time, right where it opened up. A jolt of it reached out, singed the hell out of me. You’d think it would’ve stopped me from ever wanting to go back, but…” He reached back down and laid his hand on the back of Gabe’s head. “It was just too hard…”

“Shh, Richard. I found you, remember?”

“You did… You did…” Richard said quietly.

“Thank you for listening to me, and sharing that with me,” Gabe said. “We’re not lost anymore.”

“Thank you too, Sweetie.” Richard kissed the top of his head, then felt his eyes droop. He was exhausted from their talk. “I think I need to actually sleep now.”

“I’ll wake you later, I promise,” Gabe said, snuggling closer. “I love you.”

Richard closed his eyes and adjusting the angel more comfortably on his chest.

“And I you, angel face.”

 

* * *

  

It was early winter, around ten months after they had first met. They were sitting on a plush chaise, watching the snow fall from outside the window of their room at the lodge in Lake Placid. It was a beautiful night, and Gabe leaned his head on Richard’s shoulder as they listened to the fire crackling in the hearth across the room.

“I’ve been thinking,” Gabe began, playing with Richard’s fingers in his lap, “about what we’ll do when we’re done here.”

Richard turned and looked at him. “Oh? Is my angel face thinking ahead as usual?”

Gabe bonked his head on Richard’s shoulder. “I’m serious!” he said. Richard squeezed his hand in apology and Gabe continued. “I was wondering: Where do you want to stay?”

“Stay?” Richard said. He sat up straight and looked down at him. “As in, settle down?”

Gabe lowered his eyes, feeling shy. “Yeah, I suppose so.” He looked up. “We can’t just keep going from place to place, right?”

Richard bent his knee and propped his elbow on it. “I hadn’t really thought of it, to be honest.” He turned, gently pushing Gabe down so he could lay atop him. He then put his head on the angel’s chest, folding his arms to rest his chin on his hands. “I guess I thought home was wherever you were.”

“Richard…” Gabe said, feeling his heart swell. He grasped Richard’s face and pulled him forward, capturing his lips with his. “You are such a sap.”

“You’ve changed me.” Richard kissed him again. “And I’m not complaining.”

“So is that what you want?” Gabe asked, trying not to get lost in the feel of Richard’s mouth against his. “To just keep going?” _Kiss._ “From place.” _Kiss._ “To place?”

“What do _you_ want, Gabe?” Richard asked, tilting Gabe’s face up with his finger.

“My Guardian told me that my home could be your home, too,” Gabe said. He looked at his lover hopefully. “Would you like that?”

“She’d let me live there? With you?” Richard asked. He was stunned. He never imagined that he’d be accepted anywhere by anyone else, ever.

“Yes!” Gabe said, smiling, feeling his hopes rise. “She said it specifically to me, in front of Rich! And Gabriel and Loki!”

Richard was at a loss for words. “I…”

“Don’t you think you should run it by me first?”

They both jerked their heads over towards the voice of B and stepped apart.

“And why’s that?” Gabe asked, seeing the Guardian perched on the corner of his desk.

He folded his arms and sighed. He looked tired, and his hair was mussed and sticking up all over his head. “It’s not safe to travel right now,” B explained.

“Not even with the Boss’ portal?” Gabe felt Richard take his hand in his.

“I’m sorry,” B said, shaking his head sadly. “I had to close it shortly after you both left Texas.”

Gabe felt like he’d been punched in the stomach. “Y-You what…?” He clutched at Richard’s hand. “Why?”

“I had to, Gabe. You felt the Odium advancing, and it’s gotten worse since then. It’s all I can do to keep it from getting inside here and a few other places,” B explained.

“Guardian,” Richard spoke up. Gabe and B looked at him. “Are you saying that we’re all trapped here?”

“My sister and I have a plan in motion, but until we have all the details worked out, we have to stay put. As you are her charge,” he looked straight at Gabe, “I have to keep you in the loop. And since you are the only remaining lead character left in this world,” he turned his gaze to Richard, “you get to be in on things too.”

“And I hope that we’ll be zapped back up here when the plan is all figured out?” Gabe asked.

“You’ll both be dragged here, I promise,” the Guardian said. He smirked. “Regardless of what you two are up to.”

“Hardy-har-har,” Gabe snarked.

“Wait!” Richard said.

B looked at him expectantly.

“Where can we go that’s safe until then?” Richard asked, and his hand trembled within Gabe’s. He felt his lover rub his thumb over his knuckles gently in an effort to soothe him. “You said that the Odium was getting worse…”

“Not to worry, I was going to send you guys back to one of my ‘safeties.’ It’s alright,” B assured him, smiling gently.

“Where are we going?” Gabe asked. “I hope it’s not somewhere remote like a desert.”

“Nah, it’s somewhere where you guys should be just fine until Sis and I have our brilliant plan all sorted out. Bye!”

 

* * *

 

The two were suddenly surrounded by the scent of the ocean and a warm breeze. They blinked from the bright rays of the sun overhead, and Richard suddenly felt very uncomfortable in the flannel pajamas he wore.

“Where are we?” he asked, looking about them. They were standing in front of a small wooden cabin. There was a gravel pathway that went from its front porch that wound and disappeared around its corner. “Is this a beach house?”

Gabe looked up at the sun, trying to gauge exactly where they were. “Wherever we are, it’s gotta be south of the equator.” He lowered his head and turned to Richard. “It’s summer here.”

Richard’s mouth opened in surprise. “Shit, you’re right!” He looked out into the distance across the green lawn before them. “I wonder how far from the beach we are?”

Gabe smiled. “A short walk from the sound of it.”

“You and your superior angel senses,” Richard half-mocked. “I’m going inside. Gonna see if I can find anything less warm to throw on.” He turned and entered the cabin.

“Right behind ya.”

The cabin appeared to be fairly new, the walls painted in light beige. It had a small kitchen with a table and two chairs, a shower-only bath, and a bedroom with a king size bed. A large door opened from the bedroom to a small deck that had a hammock hanging across it.

“Wow, the Guardian must really like this place to keep it all protected,” Richard mused, opening a closet. “He must’ve been planning on us staying here too.” He turned and held up a white short sleeve button down and a pair of khaki shorts.

“Guess he’s trying to apologize,” Gabe said, looking over his shoulder. He had been looking outside the large window next to the door. “He’s done that with me too.”

Gabe waited while Richard changed, then they trooped to the kitchen. He wasn’t surprised to see that it was well-stocked. “I think we might be here for a bit.”

“I don’t mind. I was beginning to think that we were going to end up in the Arctic Circle if we kept going the way we were,” Richard joked, biting into an apple. His eyes widened. “This is amazing!” he said around the piece of fruit in his mouth.

“Yep, he’s going all out this time,” Gabe said, smiling indulgently at his lover.

They talked and snacked on fruit for a while, then Gabe sat on the bed while Richard napped with his head in his lap. He pondered about B’s words, about his and the Boss’ current plan. What were they going to do? What _could_ they do? Were they doing it by themselves? Why hadn’t they contacted their other siblings?

And what about Rich and the others? Were they aware of the lockout? Was there mass panic on Earth right now with those like him?

 

* * *

  

It was about a ten minute walk to the beach from their cabin. The lovers held hands, and in their minds they pretended that they were on a romantic getaway together. When they reached the beach, they both stared in awe.

The sand was white and the entire beach was fringed with pohutukawa trees. The water was crystal clear, and both could see pink seashells littered along where the gentle waves met the beach.

“It’s beautiful,” Richard breathed. “Do we really get to stay _here_ , Gabe?”

Gabe nodded. “Looks like it.” His eyes caught site of a small sign at the bottom of a set of sunbleached stairs. “Maybe that’ll let us know where we are,” he said.

The couple made their way down carefully. Once they reached the sign, their location was revealed:

 

_Hahei, New Zealand_

 

“Wow!” Richard exclaimed. “This has become the road trip of all road trips, huh?” He leaned his head on Gabe’s shoulder.

Gabe wrapped his arm around him. “Sure as hell has.”

They sat on the bottom step and cuddled. “I don’t even miss Vegas like I thought I would,” Richard said, running his fingers along the top of Gabe’s hand. “Can’t believe that I thought that.”

Gabe pressed his lips to his temple. “You were scared. It’s OK that you felt that way.”

“I’m not scared as long as I’m with you,” Richard whispered. “I always feel safe with you.”

Gabe’s arms tightened around him. “Never leave me, Richard. Please.” Even though it had been months ago, he was still rattled from what happened on the train.

“Look at me, angel face,” Richard said gently. “You and I are going to be together forever, even if I have to make my way to the Guardian’s temple on foot to harass the son of a bitch to make sure it happens.” He kissed the angel tenderly. “I got you. You got me. And I love you.”

Gabe’s eyes watered. “I don’t deserve you, Richard.” He kissed him softly back. “I love you too.”

Richard stood slowly, drawing Gabe up with him. “Let’s go back. I want to be with you.”

 

* * *

 

They returned to the cabin, arms wound around one another’s waists, sharing kisses and whispers of affection. By the time they entered, they were caught up in one another, and clothes fell to the floor behind them in a trail as they made their way to the bedroom.

Richard made sure that his back was to the bed when they entered, and pulled Gabe on top of him. “I want you,” he breathed between kisses. He parted his legs and pressed his hips into his lover’s. “I want you, Gabe.”

Gabe moaned. “Richard…” He then stilled and stared down at him. “Are you...? Do you mean?”

“I _want_ you,” Richard gasped. “Please, Gabe.”

“Anything for you, Richard,” Gabe sighed. He leaned closer and kissed him deeply. “Anything.” He dragged his lips down his neck, licking and sucking all the way to his cock. He engulfed it all the way down, swallowing it deep in his throat.

“Gabe! Oh, your mouth!” Richard cried. He gripped Gabe’s hair tightly. “Oh! OH! YES!”

Gabe pressed his tongue firmly along the underside of Richard’s shaft as he pulled back up, slurping up the precum from the slit as he removed his lips. “I love sucking you,” he said, then licked him from base to tip slowly, teasing the little indentation at the underside of his cock just beneath where the ridges began. “I love how you feel on my tongue.”

“Fuck, Gabe…” Richard panted.

Gabe gave the slit on top of Richard’s cock one hard, long suck, then willed a coating of slick to form on the fingers of his right hand. “I’m going to open you up,” he said, lips still hovering over him.

“Please, oh please!” Richard begged. He spread his legs wider. “Do it for me, Gabe!”

“Tell me if it hurts,” Gabe said, then touched Richard’s opening gently. His lover tensed. “Richard?”

“I’m OK, I’m OK,” Richard said. “I trust you.”

Gabe watched him breathe in deep and exhale, then felt him relax against his finger. He slowly swirled it around the furrowed bud, then licked his cockhead softly. He kept the motions in sync to keep Richard calm.

“Oh Gabe… That feels… Oooo…” Richard moaned.

Gabe pressed his finger inside and wrapped his lips around him. He sucked and moved his finger in and out, hearing his lover shout out his name. He waited for the hole to loosen slightly, then added another finger.

“Fuck Gabe! Like that! OH LIKE THAT!” Richard cried. He pushed Gabe’s head further down onto his cock. “More! I want more!”

Gabe pumped his fingers and started to bob his head. If Richard wanted more, he’d give him more.

“HNNGGHH!” Richard arched his back. So good! It was so good!

Gabe continued his motions, pulling more of him into his mouth. He then plunged a third finger inside him and pumped harder.

“Gabe! No more! I’m not gonna last!” Richard begged.

Gabe stopped his motions, then slowly removed his fingers and mouth. “I guess I’m doing a good job?” he said, raising himself to his knees.

Richard looked at him. The skin all over his body was flushed red and covered in a thin film of sweat, and he looked gorgeously wrecked to Gabe. “You don’t… have to be… so cocky... about it…” he wheezed. “I taught you after all…”

“ _I’m_ cocky?” Gabe replied. He slathered his shaft with slick and pressed the head to his boyfriend’s entrance. He looked down and swallowed nervously.

“Hey, angel face,” Richard whispered. Gabe raised his eyes and met the man’s gentle gaze. “Make love to me.”

Gabe slowly entered Richard, and their eyes locked as the human’s rim and walls gripped his shaft and pulled him inside. It was a first for them both, and they cried out at the new, exquisite sensations that radiated from where their bodies connected.

As Gabe sank further, he shuddered. Richard’s channel was so tight wrapped around his cock. He was warm and wet from the slick he had prepped him with and OH! It felt so amazing!

“Gabe! Ooo! Yes!” Richard wrapped his legs around the angel’s hips and crossed his ankles behind his back, pulling him closer. “Deeper! Go deeper!”

When Gabe had entered him completely, Richard huffed out a laugh. He clenched his muscles around him and Gabe moaned. “I can feel you throbbing inside me, baby,” Richard sighed.

Gabe leaned over him and kissed him soundly. “Richard,” he said. “I love you.” He pulled out halfway and thrust slowly back in. “I love you,” he said again, then swallowed Richard’s cries with his lips.

Gabe thrust lazily into Richard over and over again, getting used to the motions. They moaned and whimpered against their lips. Richard gripped Gabe’s arms, then slid them up to his back when Gabe quickened his hips.

“Harder,” Richard begged, digging his fingers firmly into the angel’s shoulder blades. “Harder, Gabe!”

The pressure from Richard's fingers made Gabe sit back abruptly on his knees and throw his head back as a spike of pleasure exploded through him. “ _AHHH!_ ”

Richard’s arms fell sharply to his sides and he watched in awe as an eight-foot prismatic copper wing shot out from the right side of Gabe’s back. The wing caught the light coming in from the window and cast the colors of the feathers dancing about the walls of the room.

Gabe shivered as the waves of pleasure abated, then he opened his eyes slowly, widening them in startled surprise when he noticed what had happened. He stretched his wing out, then furled it in close to his body. He turned hesitantly to the man beneath him, as if expecting ridicule.

But Richard was staring in wonder. “Gabe,” he breathed. “Oh, Gabe!”

The angel tucked his wing behind him. “I…”

“Gabe, what’s wrong?” Richard asked. “Don’t hide it.” He felt the feathers at the end of the wing just brush across the tops of his legs. “It’s-”

Richard lifted his wing away from Richard’s skin as if he’d been burned. “It’s nothing. Worthless.”

“What are you talking about?!” Richard exclaimed. “Gabe, it’s so beautiful I want to cry!” His eyes focused on his lover’s face, and Gabe was astonished at the way Richard looked at him. “How can you think that it’s nothing?”

“I can’t fly, not like this,” Gabe said, though he slightly relaxed the tension in his wing. Being praised by his lover always made him feel somewhat better, no matter what was going on.

“I know that it means a lot for you to fly, Gabe,” Richard said. He leaned up and braced himself on one arm so he could touch his lover over where his heart would be. “But you’ll always be an angel here, and you’ll always be _my_ angel, wings or not.”

Gabe felt himself fill with joy as he swooped down and captured Richard’s lips. God he loved this man! He had to show him how much he meant to him, how he was his entire world.

He pressed him back to the bed and began to thrust into him once more, and Richard moaned and started to lift his arms to hold onto his shoulders, but stopped.

“Gabe,” he gasped, “Gabe.”

“What,” Richard panted, leaning his head next to Richard’s on the bed, keeping his hips moving steadily against him. “What do you need, Richard?”

__“Can I touch them?” Richard groaned as Gabe swiveled his hips to move inside him at a different angle. “Just a for a second?”__

“I don’t… I’ve never…” Gabe slowed his actions against Richard, trying to focus. “I’m not sure.”

“Will it hurt?” Richard asked, starting to lower his hands.

“I don’t think so.”

“I won’t if it might,” Richard said. “I won’t hurt you, angel face.”

“No, I-I trust you,” Gabe said. He lowered his wing so it was within reach of Richard’s hand.

Richard slowly extended his hand, then gently ran his fingers along the soft downy feathers near the inside of the wing. Almost immediately Gabe’s thrusts increased, and the angel cried out wantonly.

“Gabe!” Richard cried, clutching onto the feathers against his will. His other hand latched onto the other side of his back. “Oh God!”

“Don’t stop! Don’t stop Richard!” Gabe begged. He hooked his arms under Richard’s shoulders and pounded into him.

Richard slid his hand through Gabe’s feathers, left and right, up and down, feeling how silky and firm they were. He noticed that they vibrated with some hidden strength of their own, and distantly wondered if that was the grace that Gabe had mentioned.

Gabe slammed his hips into his lover, wrecking his hole. “Oh God, Richard! Incredible! You’re incredible!” He heard the bedframe start to protest loudly, but it would just be added to their casualty list if it broke.

Richard noticed that his fingers started to become damp the closer he moved inward towards Gabe’s skin, and in between the sharp thrusts that made him wail and writhe beneath his lover, he made his way in that direction. He located the area where the wetness was coming from and found a small squishy bump. He circled it and squeezed gently, feeling a slippery substance gush all over his hand.

Gabe nearly screamed and babbled out some strange language. He then raised his head and looked at Richard. “Yes! YES! Milk my wing oil!”

Richard did as he was bid, and felt the warm liquid coat his hand and slide down his arm. Gabe pumped his hips wildly and rapidly, that odd language flowing from his lips nonstop. Soon the angel’s wing was dripping with oil, and he moved it unconsciously up and over their moving bodies, covering them in the substance.

“Gabe!” Richard cried. Their skin slid sensuously together. He had released his fingers from the gland and wrapped both his arms around Gabe’s back. HIs limbs were covered with the viscous oil, and his cock was being amazingly stimulated between his and the angel’s torsos.

“Cum with me. Cum with me, Richard,” Gabe chanted. He heard the bed’s frame snap right beneath them, and as it collapsed, he rammed himself as hard as he could into Richard just shy of hurting him several times at an inhuman speed.

Richard cried out Gabe's name over and over, and Gabe felt his grace race through his person and flow through his wing as intense ecstasy overtook them both.

He soared!

They both became aware of where they were many minutes later, lying in a heap upon the broken bed. Gabe’s wing had phased away, but they were still covered in its oil, along with Richard’s sweat and release.

Gabe willed himself to roll to the side, pulling Richard gently with him. “Thank you for loving me as I am,” he said softly into his ear. “I love you so much and more for that.”

Richard sat up slowly and leaned over him. “I’ll always love you, my amazing angel face.” He traced his jaw, and then, for the first time in nearly a year, he sang softly.

And he sang only for Gabe.

 _“Angel came down from heaven yesterday_  
_He stayed with me just long enough to rescue me_  
_And he told me a story yesterday,_  
_About the sweet love between the moon and the deep blue sea…”_

It wasn’t Jimi Hendrix’s exact same song—Richard had changed the pronouns—but Gabe still cried as he listened to the man he loved sing to him. His voice was a bit hoarse from shouting just moments earlier, but to him it was perfect, and absolutely beautiful.

 _“And I said ‘fly on my sweet angel,_  
_Fly on through the sky,_  
_Fly on my sweet angel,_  
_Forever I will be by your side’"_

They were both crying when Richard finished the final verse. They reached for each other, and promised to never let go.


	9. On The Road To Find Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to post.
> 
> I participated in Gish, then a few more things came up.
> 
> The next part is going to be delayed somewhat. I'm going to be participating in the NonGabeRich Bang this year, and I'm preparing for that. 
> 
> But don't worry! I'm nowhere near done with this fic yet! Plans are being made!
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING:
> 
> VIOLENT CONTENT at the end of this chapter

[ ](http://www.freeimagehosting.net/commercial-photography/)

 

 

 

They spent the following days enjoying their time together. The broken bed was abandoned in favor of the hammock on the deck where they slept under the star-filled sky. Each morning after breakfast they walked along the beach, talking about the other’s lives and friends. Gabe nearly died of laughter when he heard of how Richard had married Rob, and Richard’s pornstache became a part of their play from time to time after the angel explained what _Casa Erotica_ was.

They also discovered that there was a flower garden behind the cabin. It was filled with plants and flowers native to the area, and it was where the gravel pathway from the front led to. A wooden swing was set in its middle under a large tree and they would spend afternoons lounging in it as a breeze from the ocean ruffled their hair.

One day Gabe brought up the topic of what Richard would like to do once everything was hopefully settled with the Odium.

“What do you mean?” They were sitting on the beach waiting for the sun to set. Richard was sitting behind Gabe, the angel leaning against him in his arms.

“Well, I’m hoping that you’d still like to go live with me in my world…”

Richard kissed the side of his neck. “Of course I do, but I just figured that we would, well, do whatever you wanted? Or I would help you do whatever it is you do over there?”

Gabe turned his head to regard him. “Baby, it would be whatever _we_ would want to do. Boss wouldn’t make demands on me the moment I came back. She wants me to be happy, and she would want you to be happy too.”

Richard wound his arms around the angel’s chest, observing the golds and pinks accentuating the clouds in the sky. “Hmm,” he said. “Well, I guess we could live like this?”

“You mean, like on the beach? Just the two of us?” Gabe asked.

“I was thinking more like a private island, actually!” Richard said. “Our own little piece of paradise!”

Gave shifted himself around in his lover’s arms so he could push Richard to his back. “I love it!” he said, leaning down and kissing him. “There are little islands all over the world that have nothing on them, and I’m sure my Guardian wouldn’t mind letting us make our own home on one.”

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” Richard said and pulled his body to his.

By the time the sun set and the moon rose, there were more than footprints pressed into the sand of the beach.

 

* * *

  

“How did you learn to cook so well?” Richard asked, eating the grilled chicken sandwich that Gabe had made for lunch. They had been in New Zealand for nearly two months, and Gabe had made each and every one of their meals.

“When I was at the Summit I had to eat, whether I wanted to or not. The Ether there, it wards whatever special abilities a character might have."  Gabe placed a small plate of seasoned fries in front of Richard. “I got really bored of just plain sandwiches, so the Boss conjured up some cookbooks for me. I started out with the basics, and though there were so many failures I about gave up on it, I eventually figured it all out.” He sat across from him. “Though I still screw things up now and then. Specialty food throws me for a loop from time to time.”

“Like what?” Richard asked, tasting a fry.

Gabe explained how he had made a special meal for Rich after the performer had gotten better, and how he had turned a few chickens into charcoal and three batches of biscuits and gravy into little more than bricks and mortar.

Richard smiled knowingly. “But you eventually got them perfect, didn’t you?”

Gabe took a sip of his drink and shrugged. “I suppose so. Rich ate three servings.”

“I’d like to try them sometime.” Richard put a handful of fries on his plate. “I love your food.”

“Glad I’m good for something,” Gabe winked.

 

* * *

  

“So, it said that there are actually hot springs _under_ the sand?” Richard asked, looking at his boyfriend kneeling on the ground. They had walked a ways further from their usual route after lunch, wanting to explore more of the area. They had come upon a sign that showed directions to a place called “Hot Water Beach,” and Gabe immediately wanted to see what it was all about.

“Yes! And I’m going to dig us a giant one out!” the angel said. He placed his fingers into the sand, checking the temperature. He had stepped on a spot earlier that was extremely hot and didn’t want to accidentally scald Richard’s skin. Deciding that this one would be perfect, he picked up the spade he had found leaning against the sign and started to dig. Before too long he had a large oval-shaped depression formed in the damp sand.

As it started to fill with water that bubbled from below, he dropped the implement he had used and began to remove his clothing. “Come on!” he said, using his head to gesture at the “hot tub” he had just made. “Get in!”

Richard smiled at his boyfriend’s enthusiasm and quickly stripped. “OK!”

They both stepped gingerly into the water and sat, stretching their legs out. Gabe had dug the pool deep enough so that it reached a little above their waists. They leaned their elbows and heads back against the sides, sighing at the warmth.

“Wow, this is nice,” Richard hummed. He peered up at the sky. The clouds were moving slowly, white and fluffy against the brilliant, azure blue. “I love it here, being with you Gabe.”

“I do too,” Gabe smiled.

They soaked in the water, Richard dozing, Gabe listening to the waves moving in and off the beach. He also watched the man he loved sleep, content at the way his lips softly opened and closed as he breathed and the way his brows creased as he dreamed.

When Richard roused a little while later, he blinked sleepily at him. “Why are you still over there?” he asked. He observed Gabe as he moved to sit beside him. “You belong here.”

“I do, don’t I?” the angel said, kissing his neck.

Richard moaned. “Gabe…” He turned and placed a hand on the side of the Gabe’s face and pulled him closer. “We’re naked,” he whispered seductively.

“I know,” Gabe whispered back. He crushed his lips to his, and they entangled their fingers in each other’s hair. The kiss turned filthy, and soon Richard had pulled Gabe out of the pool.

They spread out their clothes onto the sand and arranged themselves on their sides facing each other so that each had access to the other’s cock with their hands and mouths. “Do it,” Richard said breathlessly, then swallowed Gabe down whole.

Gabe cried out and pulled Richard’s hips towards his face. He wrapped his mouth around the head of his lover’s cock and sucked, flicking the tip of his tongue rapidly across the slit. He slid his hands around Richard’s hips and gripped his ass, squeezing and massaging.

Richard moaned around Gabe and the angel bucked his hips against him. Richard pulled off of him long enough to gasp, “Fuck my face, Gabe.” He grabbed Gabe’s hip and pulled him over slightly so his lover could push against him.

Moving his pelvis slowly, Gabe thrust in and out of Richard’s mouth and sucked harder on the human’s cock. He moved one of his hands down the cleft of Richard’s ass, slicking his fingers together before circling his hole.

Richard eagerly spread his legs slightly apart and Gabe worked him open as they both pleasured each other with their tongues and mouths. Richard groaned at the sensation, moving his hips back and forth between Gabe's mouth and fingers. Soon he returned the favor by slowly pulling Gabe's plug from his entrance and plunging three fingers deep inside him all at once.

Gabe moaned and swallowed more of Richard down his throat and flung his lover’s leg over his face. They both began to suck and bob their heads on each other’s dicks. Gabe curled and flexed his fingers within Richard while the human played and moved his digits rapidly in the angel’s already sloppy hole. They clung to each other, flexed their hips, pleasured the other and reveled in the pleasure they received.

Stilling his movements, Gabe gasped, "R-Richard... W-Want… AH! Want… you.”

Still pumping his fingers harshly, Richard slowly took his mouth from Gabe’s cock and moved his head to the side. “Want me to fuck you, Gabe?” He twisted his fingers and jabbed at the angel’s sweet spot, making him cry out.

“Yes! Fuck me! Please, Richard!” Gabe begged, spreading his legs wider for his boyfriend’s fingers.

Richard dragged his fingers from inside Gabe’s well-prepped hole and circled them around the rim. “Roll over then, angel face.”

Gabe flopped to his back, and Richard sat up and moved over him, placing his hips between his thighs. “Oh baby, look at you. So eager to be fucked by my cock.” He leaned down and licked into his mouth. “Mmm, taste like my precum too. Did you like sucking it out of me?”

“Fuck, Richard,” Gabe moaned. “You know I did.” He pushed his hips up against him. “Please!”

Richard smacked him on the outside of his thigh. “What did you call me, baby boy?” His voice was firm.

Gabe moaned and he felt his dick grew harder across his belly. “Sir, please Sir!”

With a rough thrust, Richard sheathed himself deeply, and Gabe arched his back with a harsh cry at the sudden fullness. “Sir! Oh God! Sir!”

“Mmm, baby, still so full of my cum, and you’ve kept it so nice and warm for me.” He pulled back and slammed his hips against Gabe. “Want to fill you so full that it leaks out of you while I’m fucking you.”

“Yes! I want it too! Oh please Sir!”

Richard placed Gabe’s legs over his shoulders and leaned forward, and they both groaned as his cock slid in even deeper. “You’d like that, huh? Me keeping you stuffed full of my spunk? Walking around and feeling it stretching your insides?” He started to pound into Gabe, making the angel cry out wantonly. “Mmm, the things you make me think of, baby boy.”

“Siiiir…” Gabe moaned, then shouted when Richard leaned forward even more and angled his thrusts directly against his prostate, pleasure ricocheting through his body. “OH! OH!”

“I get your sweet spot?” Richard purred. He reached out with his hands and pinned Gabe’s wrists over his head, moving his hips harder. “Fuck, you feel so good.” He pressed his forehead to Gabe’s chest and breathed in and out harshly. “So good, Gabe.”

Richard saying Gabe's name meant that their play was over. Gabe tossed his head, squeezing his legs around his boyfriend's neck, not caring. It felt so damn good! “Richard! Oh God!”

“Gabe, I need you… Let me…”

“Yes! Please!”

Working together, Gabe’s legs were dropped, his toy repositioned swiftly like always—it had become almost routine for them by now—and soon Richard was straddling the angel’s hips. He grasped Gabe’s leaking cock and slowly impaled himself upon it. Both cried out, so turned on that they could barely stand it.

“Fuck me, Gabe! Fuck me!” Richard begged, squeezing his eyes shut at the sensation. He reached out blindly for Gabe’s hands, placing them on his hips. “Now! Please!”

Gabe lifted his lover and brought him down hard on his cock, thrusting up with his hips. Richard tossed his head back, moaning over and over. Gabe bounced him on his lap, getting rougher and rougher.

“Gabe… Oh Gabe…” Richard panted. “Want to be with you forever…”

Gabe sat up and flipped him to his back, not stopping his motions. “We will be,” he promised, kissing his neck.

Moaning, Richard wrapped his arms around Gabe and held him close, pushing his hips up to meet his thrusts. “I love you, Gabe.”

“I love you, Richard,” Gabe replied. “God I love you.”

Their words set them both off, and they clung to each other as they shattered to pieces.

 

* * *

  

“At least the water from the hot spring helped get most of the sand off of us,” Richard said as he crawled in next to Gabe on the hammock. They had taken a shower together after returning from the beach, and had decided to watch the stars come out after dinner.

“It’s a bitch getting out of my hair,” Gabe said, scratching the back of his head. “But for what we do on the beach, it’s worth it.” He gave Richard a coy smile and winked.

Richard snickered and cuddled up against Gabe’s back. “More than,” he said, curling an arm around the angel’s waist.

They lay quietly and gazed at the sky as it darkened, the only sounds that of the wind over the distant ocean and their soft breathing. They waited for the stars to appear, planning to call it a night once they filled the sky.

However, the stars failed to arrive.

“Gabe? What’s going on?” Something wasn’t right.

Gabe frowned and slowly sat up, careful not to overturn the hammock. “I’m not sure.” He closed his eyes and extended his grace about them. When Richard tentatively lay his his hand upon his arm, he snapped his eyes open and whirled around to grasp his lover’s wrist.

“Gabe!” Richard cried out. “What is it?”

“Are you OK?” Gabe asked, his eyes wide in fright. He lifted his other hand and gently placed it on Richard’s face.

Richard used his own hands to grip Gabe’s wrists. “I’m fine, Gabe. Wha-” He froze as his face filled with horror. His knuckles turned white as his hands clenched. “No…” He stared pleadingly into Gabe’s face. “No Gabe… No…”

“We need to get you out of here,” Gabe said. He pulled Richard towards him and lifted him in his arms, standing swiftly from the hammock. He marched through the cabin and out the front door, scanning the area in front of him.

Where to go? He jerked his head up and saw the Odium swirling out in the distance, so dark it was even visible in the night sky. It was pushing against the previously unseen barrier that the Guardian had been using to keep them safe for weeks. It was relentless, and he could feel the darkness and despair pressing in all around him.

Somehow a small piece had gotten through already, and it had latched onto Richard. Gabe could sense it!

He turned and dashed down the pathway to head to the garden behind the cabin. Richard started to moan in pain caught his attention.

“What is it?” He slowed his steps to inspect his boyfriend's face. Richard was pressing his hand to the front right side of his chest. “Show me, baby.”

He quickly carried Richard to the swing and laid him gently upon it so he could lift the human’s shirt. Richard cried out at the touch of the fabric sliding across his skin, and a jolt of fear ran through Gabe's body when he discovered why.

The scar on Richard’s collar bone looked dark and raw, and Gabe was certain that it was larger than it had been at the beach earlier that day.

“G-Gabe,” Richard rasped, tears falling from the corners of his eyes. Gabe raised his head. “Hurts…”

Gabe gently put Richard’s shirt back in place and lifted him once again. He touched his lips to his forehead and started to walk at a pace that wouldn’t jar the man in his arms. “Shh, I know, my heart. I’m gonna get you help. Stay with me, OK?”

“Don’t let it get me, Gabe,” Richard whimpered.

“I won’t,” Gabe promised. “You’ve got me. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

He pressed on through the perimeter of the garden, hoping that the barrier over the ocean would hold and calling out with his mind to the Guardian to rescue them. What was taking him so long?!

Richard started to sob and the angel's heart clenched with every cry. “Gabe, I can’t…”

“Richard…” Gabe held him close and his knees began to buckle. The full force of the Odium was cracking the barrier. “Richard, I-”

“Give him to me.”

Gabe shouted in alarm as Richard was tugged forcibly from his arms. He fell flat to his face onto a stone floor, and he laid there for a short moment and quickly got his wits about him. The inside of the temple B inhabited came into sharp focus, and Gabe relaxed. They were safe. They would be OK. They would be-

He was jerked out of his thoughts as Richard’s screams filled his ears.

“RICHARD!” He hauled himself to his feet and raced towards the sounds of his lover’s voice. “RICHARD!”

He dashed down a hall lined with pillars and skidded to a halt outside a room. B was standing over Richard, who was lying on a pile of blankets spread atop a stone slab. The Guardian had just taken both his hands from his boyfriend’s chest, and he made an odd noise as he turned and regarded the angel.

“Got you guys here just in time,” he said. He was wan and his eyes were tired, worse than he had been the last time they had been dragged to the temple. “Sorry it took so long. I had to hold off that crap with more of my strength than I thought I would.”

Gabe ran across the room to Richard’s side, checking him over. He was asleep and his shirt was ripped open, showing that his scar was normal once again, even if it was still a tad larger. Gabe sighed and kissed him softly on his temple. “Is he going to be OK?”

“One sec,” B said. He took a deep breath and shot his arm out, laying his palm flat against Gabe's chest. The angel hissed at the contact, the scar on his chest burning from the contact.

B pressed his palm firmly against the Gabe's sternum. “Just a few more seconds.”

Impressions of hot ribbons of energy pooled just under where B's hand lay, and Gabe almost fell when the Guardian removed his hand. “Wh-What?” he stammered. Sweat poured down his face. He shuddered and wiped the back of his hand across his forehead where beads of sweat had formed. Stupid Ether!

“You had a bit of Hate built up in your scar, too,” B explained. He shook his hand and Gabe saw the dark, sludge-like power drift off his fingers and shoot off into the temple’s Ether. “It got its hooks deep into Richard fast because of who he is here, but it was working its way into you all the same.”

At this, Gabe rolled his right shoulder unconsciously and held one of Richard’s hands in his. “I don’t care about me. Just tell me that Richard’s going to be alright.”

“He should wake up pretty soon. It hurt a hell of a lot worse removing the Hate from him than it did you. He passed out before I finished.” He waved his hand and a stone stool appeared almost directly underneath Gabe. “Sit. You look like you’re about to keel over.”

Gabe gratefully did so, then stroked the palm of Richard’s hand with his fingers. He laid his head next to his and used his other to caress his head. “I’m gonna stay here until he wakes up.”

B nodded and slowly made his way out the room. “You do that. I think I need my version of a siesta.”

Like B had said, Richard awoke not very long after. His face was turned towards Gabe’s, and he opened his eyes to his angel’s loving gaze.

“Angel face,” he whispered.

“Hey there."

Richard’s eyes filled with tears, and Gabe immediately got up on the bed to hold him. He folded him in his arms and Richard buried his head in chest, muffling his sobs as he shook and gasped.

“Shh, Richard. It’s OK. You’re safe,” Gabe said quietly and soothingly. He rocked him back and forth, trying to comfort him. “Shh…”

“I don’t want to be here anymore, Gabe,” Richard cried. “I don’t want to be anywhere where that… that…” His voice cracked. “I HATE it Gabe,” he sobbed.

Gabe was at a loss as to what to do. This wasn’t something he could just whisk Richard away from. This was eating away the entire _world!_ “Baby, I-”

He was interrupted by a soft knock at the entrance to the room. He looked over his shoulder and saw B standing there, looking a bit better from his “siesta” and smiling. “I need to talk to you two, if that’s OK.”

 

* * *

 

“I thought Love would look wonderful on you.”

Gabe felt himself blush. Of course the Boss would say something like that right off the bat after not seeing him for a year! “Uh, yeah. Thank you?” 

Richard leaned over and whispered, “I like her.”

Gabe saw the Boss lean forward from her side of the small portal that hovered over B’s desk. “I like you too, Richard.”

Richard smiled softly.

 _Thank you, Boss_ , Gabe thought. _He needs a bit of cheering up right now._

“Alright, alright, enough with the intros. Let’s get on with it, shall we?” B said, waving his hands around. Everyone nodded, though the Boss kept a twinkle in her eye. “So, first off: only me and Sis here are aware of what’s been happening.”

Gabe and Richard were a bit perplexed by B's statement. “What do you mean?” Gabe asked.

The Boss folded her hands in front of her. “We haven’t been able to contact any of our siblings, even with the high security connections.”

“We know that the connections are being made, but they won’t answer,” B elaborated. “The Odium must be scrambling it on their ends. If they can open it from their side, we should be able to communicate.”

“But how do we do that?” Richard asked. He tilted his head when his boyfriend frowned. "Gabe? What's wrong?"

“They want someone to go there in person to tell them.”

“Oh.” Richard waited for the conversation to continue. He glanced between Gabe and the Guardians, and when it finally clicked both his eyebrows nearly went into his hairline. “ _Oh_.”

“Exactly," the Boss said, grimly addressing Gabe. “I’m only asking you, not making you, Gabe. I won’t hold it against you, _ever_ , if you say no, but-”

“He’ll go.”

Gabe jerked his head over at Richard. “What?” he said. He was filled with confusion when his boyfriend released his hand and stepped back from him. “Richard, what are you…?”

“The worlds need you, Gabe. You’re the only one who can do it,” Richard said, keeping his eyes averted. “There’s too much at stake for you _not_ to go.”

Gabe turned to him and grasped his shoulders. “But Richard." He moved his head to force his boyfriend's eyes on his. “What about _you?_ I can’t leave you! I promised!”

B stepped forward. “Richard can’t leave, not right now. He’s the only main character left here! I’ve already had to Transfer all the other characters into the Ether. If anything, Richard should go there as soon as possible to keep him safe!”

Richard snapped his head up and started to tremble. “No! I-I won’t be trapped in there!” He clutched onto Gabe, shaking his head. “Don’t let them put me there, Gabe!”

“Richard, the Ether is a safe, peaceful place. You’ll be surrounded by others who’ll keep you company. You won’t be alone. You’ll hear their thoughts and it’ll be like a dream—”

“NO!” Richard cried. He covered his face with hands and fell against Gabe. “NO!”

Gabe glared at B, holding Richard tightly against him. “If he can’t come with me, I won’t go. You will NOT torture him on the grounds of keeping him safe.”

“But it’s not—”

“You’ve already failed him once, _Guardian_.” Gabe’s voice was sharp and cutting, and his eyes flashed with grace in his ire.

The Boss intervened. “Brother, a moment.” She started to talk in the same language that she had used to open the portal that had first taken Gabe to this world. B responded in the same tongue, and they conversed for a several minutes.

During the exchange, Gabe talked softly to Richard. He ran hands along the contours of his face, the stubble of his beard prickly against the pads of fingers. He kissed him and wiped the tears that fell from his eyes, promised him that he wouldn’t leave him, that he wouldn’t let them take him away.

By the time the Guardians had finished their discussion, Richard was leaning his head calmly against Gabe’s chest. They had their arms wrapped securely around each other, Richard needing the comfort of Gabe’s contact. They watched as B hopped up on his desk next to the small portal.

“My _older_ sister here,” B began, smirking when the Boss glared at him, “has brought it to my attention that there is a special,”—he used his fingers to make air quotes,—“‘thing’ regarding you two.”

“Of course there is! We love each other,” Gabe said. Richard tightened his arms around him.

“Not only that,” the Boss said, looking kindly at the two. “But you’ve both been healed by Ether energy.”

Gabe blinked. “Come again?”

“Your scars. Our Guardian powers couldn’t heal them alone. We both had to siphon energy from the Ether to heal them of the Hate.”

They stared at them blankly.

“You both know about how Love and Hate are opposing forces, and how the Cosmos oversees them and many others? The Cosmos may be able to guide events, and set them in motion, but there’s one thing it certainly _cannot_ do: control free will. And guess what has free will?”

“Aw, shit, you’re kidding…” Gabe said.

“Yep, which means that we Guardians need help with dealing with them. Even if all the Guardians in existence worked together, we wouldn’t stand a chance. But, with a little help from the Ether, we can at least fix up any damage that those forces may or may not cause,” said B.

Gabe and Richard eyeballed each other’s chests. “So, does that mean that there’s Ether _in_ us?” Richard asked. His voice was barely above a whisper, harsh from crying.

“Just a bit,” B confirmed.

Gabe sighed. “Will you two _please_ just tell us what this all means instead of dragging it out? I swear! It’s like you guys get off on it or something.”

B raised an eyebrow then looked over his shoulder at his sibling. “The mouth on this one!” he said.

She smirked. “You should see the one on his counterpart!”

Richard made a face. “That sounds all sorts of wrong.”

Gabe pinched the bridge of his nose. “Explanation please?”

The Boss shook her head. “Don’t ever change, Gabe.” She schooled her features. “With this…  _unique_ situation, we can both track your whereabouts through the other worlds. The Ether in each world has its own ‘signature.’ It won’t be like when you travel about on your own, where we have no idea where you’re at. It’ll be like we have a tracker on you, and can contact you at any time via the Guardian of that world.”

“So we’ll be the teens having to worry about our parents catching us doing naughty things basically,” Richard said. Gabe smiled and laughed, glad that Richard was talking more and more like himself.

“Like we don’t know that you’re doing naughty things already,” B said, giving his sister a smug look.

“No one makes you watch,” Gabe shot back.

“Alright, _children_ ,” the Boss said, rolling her eyes. “Now that I’ve explained, what do you two say?” She hopefully searched the faces of the angel and man standing across from her brother’s desk. “You’ll both be able to go, and all you’ll have to do is make contact with each world’s Guardian and tell them what’s going on. Then you’ll go on to the next world.”

“And dry, rinse, repeat,” B added.

“But how will we travel? I thought this was all locked up, and dangerous?” Gabe asked. “I’m definitely not putting Richard at risk if it’s not safe!”

“We’ve had to dip into the Ether for it as well, which was also another reason that we agreed to let you two go together. You’ll sync up with it perfectly.”

“Boss? You guys using all this Ether…” Gabe didn't like this casual use of such a powerful energy, even if it was against the Odium. The Boss was like family to him. “It doesn’t have any bad side effects for you, does it?”

Her face softened at his concern. “It’s never been done before, so I can’t honestly answer your question, Gabe.”

“ _None_ of this has ever been done before, so we’re learning as we go,” B clarified. He jumped down from his desk and placed a hand on his hip. “We’ll have to deal with what happens when it happens. Right now we’re doing just that: dealing with things as they come.”

Gabe considered the Guardians' words. The Boss wouldn't lie to him, and her asking him meant that she trusted him. She also wouldn't think less of him if he were to decline. He didn't know B very well, and the Guardian hadn't made the best of impressions, especially when it came to Richard. But he had done a great deal to make up for it. The Boss also trusted him.  
  
And the worlds... Richard was right. The worlds needed him, _both_ of them, really. And where would they go anyway? The Odium wouldn't stop if they did nothing. And what about their friends on Earth?  
  
Heh, who would've thought? Characters like him and Richard, saving the worlds?  
  
But, he wouldn't do anything unless Richard was by his side...  
  
“I’ll do whatever you want,” he said to Richard.

Richard looked at his Guardian. “And it’s really OK if I go?”

B scowled playfully over his shoulder at his sister. “As I was so _bluntly_ told, you have free will, and I have no right to make you do anything you don’t want to. I’m going to fight tooth and nail to keep this place together.” He sighed and ran a hand through shaggy hair. “I owe you that, after letting you down.”

“Guardian…” Richard said, smiling sadly. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Just be careful, OK?”

Richard chewed his bottom lip. “Well,” he said, turning to his boyfriend, “we _have_ gotten pretty good at traveling...”

Gabe kissed him. “I love you.”

Richard hummed. “I love you.”

Gabe fully faced the watching Guardians. “Guess that’s a ‘yes’ guys!”

B and the Boss smiled. “Thank you. Both of you,” the Boss said.

“I’ll get the portal connected to the first place,” B said, heading towards the nearest wall.

“Is it too much to ask if I pick the first one?” Gabe asked.

The Guardian looked up, curious. “I don’t see why not. Where?”

Gabe raised an eyebrow at the man in his arms. “Ever heard of a place called ‘Downton Abbey?’”

B grinned and started chanting the appropriate incantation.

“What’s ‘Downton Abbey?’” Richard contorted his face in befuddlement.

Gabriel shrugged. "No idea, but I’ve been curious as hell for years, and you and I are gonna find out."

 

* * *

 

_**Earth: Eight months ago fictional time** _

 

 

Rich awoke before the alarm, like he always frustratingly did when he had to wake early. He was in the middle of the bed, the limbs of his lovers thrown over his body haphazardly. To his left his angel slept with his mouth partially open, snoring softly, hair all tousled and making him appear like the manchild that he was. On his other side Loki’s face was turned towards him, his frown lines barely noticeable in his slumber. He had been on edge more and more the closer it came to Rich going to his first con since their return from the other world, and Rich wished that he could figure out why.

Their first two months together on Earth had been… “interesting” at first. While amazing and full of declarations of love—both verbal and delightfully physical—their time in close quarters had led Rich to quickly discover that the once low-maintenance Norse god and archangel now needed to learn how to live as everyday humans. This led to a trip to the supermarket, which also led to an impromptu discussion of hygiene and healthy eating habits. No more hasty clean up snaps and meals consisting of mostly sugar!

When they were walking by the pharmacy aisle, Rich also wondered about something else. He led them towards a shelf and asked about the necessity of being “clean” for their bedroom activities. He had glowered at them when they both laughed and explained that they used next to no energy to take care of that particular necessity. That next led to a conversation about shaving, which turned out to be something that Gabriel abhorred, and he said he would happily use the extra grace required for that daily task. Loki decided to trust and follow Rich's regimen.

Unfortunately when it came to buying actual food, Gabriel’s brattiness came to the fore. He turned his nose up at almost every vegetable. Rich received glares from other patrons, and Loki decidedly let him handle the archangel. It got to the point that Rich sent Gabriel outside with Loki, telling the trickster to keep an eye on him.

He smiled at the memory despite himself. He had to admit that he would treasure the memories they had made. He, Gabriel, and Loki were their own unique unit, and he didn’t know if he could be any happier.

All three jumped when the alarm shattered the silence. Gabriel moaned and covered his head with a pillow. “Loki…” he whined. “Shut it off.”

There was the buzz and pop of electricity, and silence filled the room.

“Thanks babe,” Gabriel said and squeezed himself tightly against Rich, making sure to flutter his fingers against Loki’s shoulders.

Rich sighed. “You know I have to be at the airport this afternoon,” he said. He glanced between the beings that refused to let him up. “Come on guys, we made a deal last night, remember? I got to pick bedtime if I volunteered to be the sandwich filling.”

Gabriel opened one eye to peep at him. “Well no one agreed on what time we had to wake up,” he said petulantly.

“Guys, you’ve known that this was part of my coming back here, and it’ll only be for a couple weeks or so.”

“You’ll be in Europe, and we don’t have the power to get to you quickly like we used to,” Loki said grumpily. Rich rolled over slightly towards him. “I don’t like it.”

“I’ve been going over there for years now. I’ll be fine, Loki,” Rich assured him. He lifted his hand to touch the trickster’s face, but stopped when his cell rang. His lovers reluctantly released him so he could sit up and grab the phone from the nightstand.

“Kitty?” he answered after glancing at the caller ID. “Something wrong? It’s early.”

There was the sound of a throat being cleared. “Oh, yeah, everything’s fine.” The PA’s voice sounded hoarse. “Just calling to let you know that all your travel arrangements are in order. They were a little screwy last night.”

Rich frowned. “Are you alright?”

"Y-Yeah, just been watching one of my shows; was a sad episode. You know how emotional I get."

Rich shook his head at Gabriel and Loki when they both sat up at words. He appreciated their concern though. He gave them a small smile to help alleviate their worries. “Well, you always were a sucker for those kinds of things."

Kitty laughed. “"Heh, yeah. So, ready to enter back into the real world?"

“Not really, but needs must right?" He glanced at his lovers. _The real world, huh?_

"Always. I've emailed you your ticket and hotel info. Everything else is arranged as well. I’ve-” The sound of something being thumped cut off her voice abruptly. There was a crackling noise over the phone’s connection, then Rich heard Kitty gasp loudly. The pounding of feet followed, and Rich gripped his hand tightly around his phone.

“Kitty?” He waited, but there was no response. “Kitty?” he tried again, his voice filling with concern.

Loki and Gabriel sought out each other's eyes.

“Kitty!” Rich shouted.

He heard scrambling noises, then sighed silently in relief when they were followed by her voice. “S-Sorry. Clumsy fingers. Dropped the phone and it skittered under the couch.” She took a deep breath. “Have you decided yet on where you’d like to look for a place exactly?”

Rich pressed his lips into a thin line. She didn’t sound like herself at all by changing the subject so abruptly. “Kit… are you OK?”

There was a beat of silence before she responded. “...I’m fine, Rich. Really. I’m just tired. I was up really late. There’s a lot going on this time of year.”

Rich sighed and ran his hand down his face. “Darlin’, if you need a break—”

“No, no, it’s OK,” she said softly. “Now, enough about me. Answer my question.”

Rich clenched his jaw, making a note to talk to her later. He made his voice sound lighter as he answered her question. “I’d really like somewhere quiet.” He closed his eyes at Gabriel running a hand down his back and pressed against it. “Private. Lots of land.” He fought back the urge to moan when the angel started to massage his fingers into the small of his back. “NOT in L.A.”

He heard her chuckle, and he grinned; that sounded like the Kit he knew! “Well that narrows it down!” she said. “Should only take me next to forever!”

“Gotta make you earn that paycheck!” he quipped.

“Always do,” she replied. “Enjoy the con, Rich. Call me if anything comes up.”

“You call me too, OK Kitty?”

"Rich... I know that tone of voice. I'm fine, really."

Rich sighed again. “We’ve known each other too long for me not to worry about ya.”

"I know, Rich. I've not forgotten,” she said gently.

There was silence for a moment, then Rich said, “Well, let me know if you find any ocean-front properties in Arizona, alright?”

She snorted. “Will do!”

They said their goodbyes, ending the call, and Rich tossed his phone back on the nightstand.

“Everything OK?” Gabriel asked, continuing to rub Rich’s back.

Rich blew air out of his mouth. “I’m not really sure. She seemed a bit off.”

Loki pushed himself up so he could lean against the headboard and crossed his ankles. “Hmm.”

Rich cocked his head at him. “What?”

Loki raised an eyebrow. “Off how?” He placed his hands over his naked stomach and laced his fingers.

“Just a… a feeling. I’ve known her for a long time now. We’re friends, and I can sorta sense these things with her, in a way.”

Loki peered down at his hands and contemplated his human’s words for a long moment.

The moment seemed to draw out a bit too long. Rich started to fidget while waiting on Loki’s reply and Gabriel rescued him. “Loki?”

Loki raised his head. “Be careful.”

Rich blinked and swiveled his body around, completely perplexed. “Careful? Careful of what?”

Loki bent his knees and sat forward. “Ever since the Bunker... I've been worried. And I know the Guardian told us that there was nothing to be worried about, but,”—he held up a finger—"I can't help but sense that there was something else going on as well.”

Gabriel sighed. “Loki, I thought you got over this whole thing with the Guardian…”

Loki glared at him. “When it comes to you two, trust only goes so far, Angel.”

Rich stared at him. “But wait…” Loki turned back to face him. “You think that Kitty… LOKI! She’s HUMAN! She was HERE!” He put his hands on Loki’s knees. “How could she possibly have anything to do with that?”

“Look at what's happened to us recently. ANYTHING is possible as far as I'm concerned.”

Rich was at a complete loss for words and just continued to stare at him.

Gabriel glanced between them both, troubled. “Loki, I can vouch for her too. I've seen her. I was here as well, remember?" When neither said and did anything, he gently lay his hands on both their shoulders. “Babes, come on… Please don’t fight.”

Loki ran both his hands down his face. “I won't go through it again…” he said in a small voice.

Rich stiffened. “Loki…” He grabbed Loki’s arms and pulled him towards him, holding him firmly against his chest. “I'm here. Right here. Feel me?”

Loki let himself be held. “I won't let anything happen to you again, Rich.” He wrapped his arms around his human and gripped his back tightly. “I won't!”

Rich looked over at Gabriel and beckoned him over, and the angel hugged Loki from behind.

“We’ll all keep an eye on each other, alright Sugar?” He kissed the back of Loki’s neck. “This is Earth, not our world; nothing more powerful than us here, right?”

 

* * *

  

Kitty dropped her phone and hissed in pain. Her wrist was twisted and starting to bruise, and it was all she could do not to break down and cry.

Her tormentor was standing next to her, scowling in anger and gripping her arm. “You were supposed to go with him!” he said.

She glared at him through her tears. “I can’t! He asked me to—”

She cried out as he threw her to the ground violently.

"You are testing my patience with these excuses. You are always going against my wishes because of what this _human_ wants! What have I told you? You are MINE, and no creator who abandons his work will have you!"

She grit her teeth against the pain that flared through her side, wondering if she had broken anything. It hurt to breathe. She turned her head over her shoulder and glowered at him, feeling anger course through her at his words against her friend. “What patience!?"

He stood over her and kicked her several times in her ribs, and she heard a wet crunch. She shrieked in agony. “When will you stop?!”

He grinned maliciously. "When my daughter is strong enough to take you over, and you are weak enough to let her." He tilted his head, closing his eyes as he listened to something only he could hear. “When she has you, I’ll inherit what he so foolishly tossed aside."


End file.
